Born To Fly
by Mini Peacelet
Summary: Sequel to Bahamas. Follows Nikki and Christine through the beginning of their married life together and as they decide to take the next steps in their relationship. Will things be as simple and trouble free as they hope? Are they Born to Fly?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **Hello again everyone :3 here's the first part to the sequel to 'Bahamas'. Sorry there's been a slight delay in posting, I got caught up in updating other fics and writing one-shots. It's not essential that you've read 'Bahamas' before reading this as this was originally a separate idea but I've adapted it slightly and decided that it'd fit quite well. I hope you like this first instalment, I'd love to hear what you think. Updates will be as regular as possible. :) _

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 1

Perched contently on her side of the double bed, cross legged with the fuzzy duvet tucked snuggly around herself and nursing a steamy mug of hot chocolate, Nikki's cornflower-blue orbs were fixated completely on the television, concentrating intensely on the program. Her wife - Christine - was downstairs in the lounge, focusing on a stack of paperwork that required her entire attention and rapid completion.

The two females had officially got married properly three weeks ago and had recently returned from their honeymoon in the Greek Islands over the Easter holidays. Now back at work, Christine still headmistress and Nikki as her deputy alongside Simon, the demand to catch up and regain control of the piling paperwork was essential. The brunette had finished her marking and lesson planning, so had padded upstairs to their bedroom.

She raised the mug of warm cocoa to her lips and inhaled the rich chocolatey aroma that tickled her nostrils teasingly and inhaled a tiny sip, eyes still hooked with excitement to the TV. Her orbs didn't even flicker a millimetre as the bedroom door creaked open and Christine entered, presumably having completed her outstanding files. The blonde exchanged her work attire for pyjamas and slipped beneath the covers, snaking her arms around Nikki's slender waist, "Hey,"

"Hi," The former army captain's pitch was muted, concentration glued to the program she was studying with gratification. She didn't want to miss a single second, learning some important tips in silence, noting them mentally.

"I've been thinking-" Before Christine was able to terminate her sentence, her wife interrupted her hastily, tone fuelled with spirited exasperation combined with zealous anticipation.

"Shhh! The Great British Bake Off's on! Paul and Mary are just trying their final bakes. Then it's time to see who's going to be leaving!" She was fired with enthusiasm for the cooking show despite the detail that her skills in the kitchen were truly awful.

The older female tilted her head up as she perceived Mary and Paul tasting the bakes from the contestants, "What did they have to bake?" She inquired curiously, trying to decipher the pastry creations.

"Can't you tell? Eclairs." Nikki informed jokingly, although she personally thought that the eclairs did appear rather eclair-ish. She then pressed her index finger against Christine's lips to prevent her from speaking again as Sue Perkins and Mel were about to reveal the star baker and then the unlucky sole who would be leaving the competition. The English teacher could taste their tension and nerves as they were anxiously kept in an evil suspense.

The brunette grunted morosely, clicking the television off from the remote and depositing the control and empty mug on her bedside table, sliding down under the covers, "Martha was my favourite, I was rooting for her to win." She muttered grumpily, learning that the youngest baker was the latest to be eliminated.

Christine exhaled a delicate, suppressed laugh as the woman that was her best friend pouted melancholy. Inclining forward and gently pulling her further into her cosy embrace, she pecked her lips, brushing a loose lock of chestnut-coloured hair from her face to reveal her radiant orbs that beamed with lust and passion.

A graceful sigh hovered from Nikki's lips as she settled in her wife's adoring hold, "You said earlier that you'd been thinking. What about?" She queried with a melodious whisper, "I know how dangerous it can be when you think." A tantalising smirk danced on her contours but all her tormenting earned her was a playful slap.

The head teacher recalled the topic she had intended to introduce into discussion with her lover and now that she had obtained her full attention - instead of sharing with the bake off - she was satisfied that she could enlighten her into her thoughts. The placid and tranquil ambience was also perfect, "Well, I was just thinking that the house is really quiet..." Her voice was a murmur tainted with faint anxieties at the reaction she would receive.

Nikki didn't respond immediately, contemplating a couple of thoughts momentarily. The more she thought about it, the more she agreed with the blonde. They had a spacious home with only the two of them living there; everything was so immaculate and methodical. And quiet. _Dead_. "Mm, I agree. I suppose it is rather quiet. Are you suggesting that we get a cat or a dog?"

No. No, that wasn't accurately what Christine had originally had in mind. Precisely not. She had been hoping for a more traditional answer. But it was evident that perhaps the brunette wasn't quite thinking the same, or hadn't cottoned on to her subtle hint. Pursing her lips together subsequently to subconsciously chewing her bottom lip, she figured she had no other option but to elaborate, "Uhm, well...a dog or cat of some sort would be nice...but that wasn't exactly what I was thinking. I was thinking more of a baby, like what most couples think about after marriage." Her manner faded into a feeble purr of nerves.

"Christine, I never had you down as a traditionalist." She mocked before allowing the whole details to process properly. A baby. Christine wanted a baby. Her emotions were mixed. There will still snippets of information that she hadn't confided in her wife. "A baby...who would carry it? Me or you?" She was cognisant that this probably wasn't the most sensible response, but the answer to that question would either settle her or make her more edgy.

The blonde shrugged, "I was thinking you." She still wasn't certain of how Nikki was feeling, she was good at concealing her emotions and feelings; she couldn't really decipher anything from her expressions and body language.

Nikki nodded, "okay," She didn't have anything constructive to say, engulfed by her thoughts and secrets. Pecking her wife's lips, she settled down to sleep. Tomorrow another day at Waterloo Road awaited.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: **Thank you for all the reviews, I love reading them! Some of you are suspecting Nikki may not want a baby, maybe she does, maybe she doesn't ;) it will all become clear in the upcoming chapters! I hope you enjoy this update. :)_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

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Born To Fly - Part 2

Nikki's concentration was negligible, her mind engaged elsewhere than where it should have been; teaching the PRU English. She had merely opened a document containing some questions regarding a novel and projected it onto the smart board, instructing the ruthless kids to read the designated text and answer the set of questions. It was an easy and indolent option - a teaching method she detested - but she didn't feel like applying her focus to Dickens.

An uncomfortable and perturbed ambience was hovering densely over Nikki and Christine. All related to the baby idea. The blonde was cursing herself for ever introducing the topic in the first place, coveting to just have her cherished relationship back to normal. Nikki was quiet - perhaps solitary - and to a certain extent uneasy, she was speaking and contently being civil but her bubbly glint had vanished.

Shattered and irritable. A baby. Christine wanted them to have a baby. Her to carry the infant. The thoughts swirled persistently and angrily in her head. Combined with concealed coverts. She desired to make her wife happy, that was all she had ever wanted to do. And always aspired to do. That included having a child despite her own personal fears and doubts, and reluctance to the entire prospect.

She twirled her blue-inked pen between her fingers pointlessly, staring at the repeated action of the object that was acting as a trivial distraction. Her attention was suddenly captured by the exasperated drone for Rhiannon Salt's voice followed by Gabriella's posh and exclusive accent. Dropping her pen, she addressed the pair, "Gabby, why are you out of your seat? Go sit down and stop distracting Rhiannon. You should be getting on with the work on the board and I do recall stating you did so in silence." She commanded with an authoritative manner, in no mood for the teenagers disruptive behaviour. Why was Gabriella even here, Nikki didn't recall anything regarding her.

"It's Gabriella, Miss. This work is _so_ easy, it's hardly stimulating." The Wark offspring corrected bluntly, loathing her name being shortened to something so average, common and tacky.

"_Gabriella_, why are you even in here?" The brunette was perplexed at to the reason the affluent teen was present and attending her class. She had received no advanced warning that she would be joining the pupil referral unit - and to her knowledge had no basis for her to actually be removed from mainstream lessons. Gabriella was an over achieving student the school were honoured to have; the PRU was designed for under achieving kids.

The pretty teen shrugged, "Mrs Mulgrew put me in here." She stated sincerely, returning for her rightful seat, sighing dramatically as she raised her phone from the table with her perfectly manicured fingers, flicking innocently through her messages.

"Put your phone away, you know the rules, no phones in class." Christine hadn't informed her of this important change, "Oh," she muttered mutedly and began doodling on a piece of scrap paper.

"Didn't she tell you, _Nikki_?" She smirked slyly, ingenuously calling the former army captain Nikki as though she had the right to address her teacher by her first name despite evidently knowing better. Everyone had become conscious of the head teacher and deputies relationship although they were always strictly professional at the school. Her phone didn't move an inch, secure in her grasp, "No. I need something to entertain me. Besides, the content is actually quite interesting. A little birdie tells me that Kevin's been sleeping with another girl; tall, skinny, brunette and much more classy than Dynasty." She shot a cunning glare at Dynasty who was ready to rear already having grudges with the wealthy girl.

Nikki regained her equilibrium swiftly and marched over to the blonde who was adding to her foul mood, "That's enough, Gabriella. It's Miss Boston to you. This is now confiscated and you can have it back at the end of the day." She had to stamp her poise and assertion from the very beginning, swiping the phone from Gabriella's hands and returning to her desk, grateful as the bell rung indicating that it was now break time.

As her class filed out the room, the brunette locked the door and paced to Christine's office to learn about why Gabriella Wark had been placed in the referral unit. As she entered her wife's confined yet modern office, she perceived the blonde perched at her desk with body language that signified she was flustered and aggravated. They may have been finding each others company a little awkward, but she still cared deeply for her lover. "What's wrong?" She queried, concluding the Gabriella situation could wait.

"Simon and his bloody resilience education!" She huffed as she massaged her throbbing temples in hope for some soothing effect.

The deputy frowned, "Don't you think it's a good idea? It offers more opportunities for those kids who are less suited to academic stuff." It was her honest opinion to the new scheme that Simon was zealous to introduce permanently as part of the curriculum.

"I do think it's a good idea and seems to be having positive effect but I wish he would shut up about it. He can't take small steps, he just wants to get way ahead of himself! All he keeps going on about is the camp he wants to arrange in the summer, it's only April!"

"I'll have a word with him." Nikki replied and leant against the edge of Christine's desk, "I came to ask you about Gabriella Wark, she's been in the PRU this morning - definitely making her presence known. Did I miss something?"

"That's my fault, sorry." Christine sighed, remembering that she had forgotten to inform her other deputy about the joint decision her and Simon had decided with everything that was currently happening.

The brunette nodded, "Is there a specific reason? She hardly fits the criteria as an under achieving student. She's the complete opposite of that."

"Academically, she's way ahead of our other pupils and because she's not learning anything new, she's started yo become disruptive and making a nuisance of herself which is hindering others education. The PRU creates schemes to fit each child's individual requirements, so the idea was that we set her some challenging work to motivate her and she can't distract people in there because we all know you will keep her in line." She explained and sipped a mouthful of her lukewarm coffee.

"Okay, I'll get it sorted as soon as possible." Nikki nodded, rising to her feet and ambling to the door. Hand clasped around the metal handle - a contrast to her clammy palm - she paused and pirouetted around on her feet, chewing her lip subconsciously, "About this baby thing...I'm not against it or anything, I was just wondering if you could be the one to carry the baby?" She questioned with apprehension. She would be more enthusiastic to the concept and warm to it more if Christine was the one to carry the child.

Christine allowed her orbs to engage with Nikki's dazzling eyes, "It would be better if you carried the baby, purely because you are the other side - _correct_ _side_ \- of forty to me. If I was to go through with it, there would be more risks and most certainly complications. The pregnancy would more likely be more straightforward and easy for you."

"I'm not that young, but I understand." She could relate to Christine's logic but it didn't make things any simpler for her. She just wanted to make her wife happy.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **Thank you for the reviews. Not the most exciting update, but there will be drama coming soon in a couple of chapters._

_~Mini Peacelet~_

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Born To Fly - Part 3

"Alright everyone settle down please." The no nonsense teacher addressed the pupil referral unit with a poised manner as she entered the classroom, a bunch of folders propped under her arm. She allowed the mechanised door to bang shut as she paced to her desk, depositing the files, "Save the chatter for after school, I know I'm a few minutes late but that's no excuse."

Smart board controls in her clutch as she projected the lesson file from her laptop to the large screen, she sharply pirouetted around, "Gabriella, that includes yo-" she paused abruptly, her gaze locking on the human's presence that was unwelcome. Barry Barry. She never did discover the outcome to the theft he had committed, all she was conscious of was that he had returned every single penny of the cash he had stolen from his sister's funds for America. His mother had chucked him out.

"Barry, what the hell are you doing in here?" She hissed with assertion. She wondered why the other Barry sibling wasn't generating a drama at her brother's appearance. Glancing briefly around the PRU, she recalled that Dynasty was with Simon for resilience education. He wasn't the slightest bit bothered, rocking on the chair, his tongue lightly licking his lips.

Gabriella scowled, "Don't speak to him like that." Her posh accent was pure innocence, she then rotated so she was facing Barry, flicking her angelic locks over her shoulder, "You've come to keep me company haven't you?" She pressed her glossy lips against her boyfriends tentatively.

Nikki rolled her sparkling orbs, "Barry, you know you have absolutely no right to be in this school, so I'm politely asking you to leave now."

"No. Stay, please." The wealthy adolescent fluttered her thick eyelashes that were coated with fine layers of jet black mascara. She positioned her hand on Barry's shoulder, glaring maliciously at her teacher.

"Gabriella, you are already on extremely thin ice because of your behaviour. It should be in your interests to get in my good books." The former army captain's northern accent was thick, "You have work to be getting on with, you can see Mr Barry in your own time, not mine. I doubt anyone else would be too delighted at your presence, so out now Barry." It wasn't a request, a direct instruction. She stamped her authority with her tone, in no mood to be irritated. Today wasn't a good day anyway without her adding her irrational behaviour.

With a smug smirk plastered across his face, Barry rose to his feet and pecked his girlfriend's lips, "Alright, I'm goin'." he raised his hand in defence, "Wouldn't want ya to get in trouble would we Gabs? Besides, I've been in one of Boston's lessons way too many times, they're dead boring. See ya later babes!" And with that he departed.

Gabriella glared at Nikki, evidently not satisfied with the outcome, "I don't even want to learn about Shakespeare anyway." She then hurled herself to her feet and stormed out, in search of something more interesting to do.

Fortunately, the other students seemed to have fathomed that Miss Boston wasn't in the most forgiving or tolerating mood and therefore chose to obey her commands. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, enjoy the rest of the day." She dismissed the PRU and flopped down onto her chair, propping her elbows on the desk and burying her face in her hands.

"Are you ready?"

Nikki jumped with a start, she hadn't heard Christine enter. Lifting her head up, she nodded, "Yeah." Her attempt to sound normal and composed had failed, faltering over the simple one word response.

"Is something wrong?" Christine's smile descended into a concerned frown. Her wife was usually so in control and very rarely did her pupils break through her durable barrier.

"Gabriella Wark; she's still testing me. I honestly don't think there is much more we can do for her, no matter what we do she throws it back at us. This afternoon, she bought her boyfriend into lesson. You wouldn't even believe who he is." She still hadn't deciphered how the pair were actually together, they were hardly a suspected combination.

"Well, we'll soon be reviewing her time in the PRU and the outcomes it's influenced. But if Waterloo Road can't help her, then I'm not sure anyone can. And try me?"

"Barry Barry."

"The Barry Barry?" Christine stifled a laugh.

"Yeah, I'm serious."

The blonde peered at her watch, "Come on, we best get going. Don't worry about what's happening here, let's just focus on us for the rest of today." Her brewing excitement wasn't mutual.

* * *

It was a month subsequently to there original chat about having a baby. They had chosen a private clinic for Nikki's IVF treatment for a few reasons. And elected to wait a month so they could discuss the idea further and for the brunette to stop consuming alcohol and anything else that could possibly - despite the risks being incredibly low - effect their baby if it was still in her system. Avoiding complications was essential.

Nikki tapped her foot anxiously against the cheap, linoleum floor of the clinic; a subtle noise radiating out from the movement. Nervous was an understatement. She was apprehensive of the whole prospect, but she comprehended that she was just going to have to hope for the best.

Her wife interlaced her own hand around the brunette's, squeezing reassuringly; comfort. "I know you'll never admit it, but I can see that you're nervous and scared."

"I'm not." She retorted instantly. Christine was right though, with both aspects, she was nervous and scared but refused to confess. "I'm just a little apprehensive, and stressed because of the day I've had. This is a big deal for me. It feels weird I guess, I could be pregnant in a month." She shrugged; her emotions were a blur.

"It's understandable." Christine sympathised, "Try not to worry though, it's going to be okay."

The English teacher just nodded, it didn't make things any simpler for her though. Her cornflower-blue orbs tainted with tension flickered around the waiting room, perceiving all the other - heterosexual - couples. That made her feel even more uncomfortable, she had convinced herself that they were staring and whispering about her and Christine. All the women appeared younger than her too.

The decor was rather bland, and perhaps _cold_; a tacky linoleum surfaced floor, white washed walls adorned with posters regarding IVF. Nikki fidgeted in her plastic chair, wherever she gazed there were no consolations. Positivity was absence.

"Nicola Boston?"

Nikki inhaled a quick breath, stealing a final glance at Christine for desperate assurance. She shakily regained her equilibrium, clutching her wife's hand, and followed the doctor into a private room.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: **Again, thanks for the reviews! Hope you like this part, I apologise in advance that I am rubbish at writing fluff._

_~Mini Peacelet~_

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Born To Fly - Part 4

Nikki clambered into the cosy, king-sized bed, adjusting the bedding to her own comfort so she could relish the heat the blanket generated against her silky skin. The room was snug, an intimate aura hovering in the air; bedside lamps glowing a subtle yellow, radiating adequate light. "What are you doing?" Her voice reverberated the chamber melodiously, curiously perceiving her wife gazing out the glass panelled windows into the night sky.

"Just stargazing." The blonde smiled idyllically, staring at the velvety, midnight-blue heavens, adorned with millions of twinkling stars shining lustrously. "I find it so peaceful and calming."

The younger female focused her attention on the shimmering - full - moon, a blissful white combined with taints of a bright grey. It owned the sky. Glowing observantly and contently. Engulfed in harmless hallucinations, she wondered if the ancient myths were true; the moon tasting of cheese, an unidentified species of living creature who had made the distant feature their home, and the rhyme of hey diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumps over the moon. It was fake rubbish, she knew it was. But it was her inner child heart becoming present. These were legends that their child, if the IVF was successful, would one day learn.

"Did you see that?!" Christine gasped, interrupting her wife's trance.

"See what?" Nikki narrowed her gaze, scrutinising the fraction of sky that the headmistress concentrated upon. She couldn't see anything that was special or exceptionally appealing. But listened curiously, interested.

"The shooting star." The blonde pulled the thick, good quality curtains across the window, trapping the night and dusk outside of the cosy bedroom. She then padded across the wooden floor and the fluffy rug and joined her wife in the bed.

"Did you make a wish?"

Christine nodded, "Of course."

With a spirited yet mischievous grin, the brunette responded, "What did you wish for?" Her fingertips trailed up the bare skin of her best friend's arm, a sweet expression visible in her bubbling orbs.

She laughed tenderly, tapping Nikki on the tip of her nose playfully, "If I tell you it won't come true."

Nikki pouted, tugging the duvet further as she snuggled into her lover, seeking all the warmth she could acquire. Despite it being late April - nearly May - to her the nights still seemed as chilly as they were in the midst of winter. She tactfully - incredibly sneakily - positioned her icy feet on Christine's warm legs to thaw. "What?" She puckered innocently when the head teacher jumped and swore loudly.

Christine grimaced with clenched teeth and enveloped her wife into her embrace, holding her tight. "It's just as well I love you. Not just anybody get's away with sticking their freezing feet on me!"

The English teacher smirked, "I love you too." She tentatively rested her head on the blonde's chest, nestling closer.

The older woman raked her fingers gently through her wife's sleek bob, "You're rather snuggly tonight." She commented gracefully; factually. Although she wasn't complaining. She was never usually this cuddly, it was a pleasant change that she was willing to savour.

Nikki burrowed her face into Christine's stomach, concealing her cheeks that had flushed a faint crimson. "Shut up." She murmured feebly. She was embarrassed at how absurdly soppy she was currently being. Soppy was never a word that was associated with her. Never. But it was precisely appropriate at the moment. Accurate.

"I never thought I'd be able to call Sargent Boston soppy." The blonde teased, brushing a lock of chestnut-coloured hair away from her wife's prominent jawline, revealing part of her unblemished contours.

"Christineee." She whined, loathing being tormented over something so mushy and sentimental. It wasn't even her fault. She couldn't control her emotions. And that was what made it a whole lot worse. She had noticeable reactions to the hormonal injections, fluctuating mood swings. Christine was appreciative of this though, but much preferred her wife's snuggly and sweet moods to her grumpy and irritable ones. In some respects, she was glad that she wasn't going to try carrying the baby - the idea of injecting herself repeatedly daily made her shudder..

* * *

"Where are we going?" Nikki inquired inquisitively as she studied the housing estate Christine was navigating her way through, "Or should I say where are we?" She rephrased her question as her wife parked outside a large, detached house, privately owned. She didn't recognise the address, clueless to who lived their and perplexed to why they were even there.

"You'll see." The blonde smiled as she emerged from the vehicle, refusing to reveal any secrets about the surprise she had arranged for the younger woman. "Come on, everything will soon be explained."

Nikki huffed and stepped out of the car, slamming the door shut and followed her lover to the door, impatiently awaiting an explanation. Christine briefly flashed a reassuringly smile before knocking on the door. She greeted the female who evidently lived at the house and they were shown into a spacious lounge where in the corner was a cluster of tiny kittens huddled together in a basket with a blanket.

"When I first implied that our home was too quiet, you suggested that we got a cat or a dog originally...so I thought that we could get a kitten because it would still be okay when we finally have a baby because cats are relatively independent and it'll liven the house up in the mean time." Christine smiled as she enlightened her partner into her thoughts.

A joyful grin danced across the brunette's lips, "I love that idea!" She beamed, ecstatic at having a distraction from trying for a baby. A baby that she still wasn't keen on having. The little kitten would be something positive for her.

"They are all twelve weeks old and have had their first vaccinations, so you can choose one and we can take him or her home today."

"But we haven't got any stuff in preparation? Like a cat basket, food, toys..." The former army captain frowned. She preferred to be prepared, especially for something like this.

A friendly conceited smirk was plastered on Christine's face, "Don't worry, we have all the essentials at home. I've already bought them, they are just hidden because  
I wanted this to be a surprise. Now go pick a kitten!"

She zealously tossed her arms around her wife and kissed her zealously, "I love you." She beamed before descending to her knees gradually and looking at the bundles of fur, "They're all so cute, how can I choose just one?" She sighed sadly. She finally selected a kitten; a male tabby that appeared to be smaller than the others and slightly separated from his siblings, the sort of kitten that people wouldn't want. "This one." She announced as she held him carefully in her grasp.

"A perfect choice. I guess we had better start thinking of names for this sweet little boy." The head teacher smiled, stroking the kitten's tiny head gently.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **Thanks for reading and reviewing, I love reading yours reviews. Hope you like this instalment, things will get more exciting in the next chapter! What did we all think of Waterloo Road's return tonight? Also thanks to the girls who gave suggestions as to what to name the kitten! :D_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

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Born To Fly - Part 5

"Have you thought of any names yet?" Christine inquired curiously as she perched on the leather sofa beside her wife.

"Not really," The brunette shook her head, gazing contently at the new addition to their household.

"Hugo?"

"No."

They repeatedly went round in circles, Nikki disagreeing with Christine's suggestions, although she wasn't actually making any of her own. Still in deep contemplation and wanting the perfect name for their first pet.

"What about Tabby?"

"We are not calling our tabby cat Tabby." Nikki stated candidly, stroking her hand over the kitten's back, "I think we're both capable of thinking of something more creative and original. I want it to be something more personal to us."

The blonde stifled a mild chuckle, "I guess you're right." She did agree with her wife, they were more imaginative than that suggestion, "What about Sergeant Boston?"

A dainty descending curve refined the former army captain's lips, "You want to name the cat after me? No, I don't think so." She shook her head and dismissed the recommendation. "I don't know, I've always wanted to own a cat named Fiddles but I think it should be something more individual and special to us."

"I like Fiddles." Christine approved and pursed her lips together momentarily, "I don't know, we both have a strong love for English so maybe something to do with that? Like Hamlet, Atticus, Lenny, Antonio, Macbeth, Romeo, or Puck."

Nikki pondered fleetingly, she quite liked the idea of naming him something related to English Literature. She was in a dilemma over what name to choose, favouring more than one. "What about Sergeant Fiddles Shakespeare? Obviously, we'll shorten it to something else to call him around the house." She wanted to include a combination of her own notions and her wife's.

The headmistress laughed shortly, "Well that's a long name for a little kitten but oddly I like. I think it suits him." She beamed, "Oh look, I think he approves." She commented as the kitten stretched as he woke, extending his tiny paw to catch Nikki's hand disapprovingly as she tickled his little, white belly.

Sergeant Fiddles Shakespeare.

"Nik, there is really no need for Fiddles to sleep in our bed." Christine frowned as she gracefully descended into their cosy bed. It wasn't a statement, more of a hint for action. A polite nudge though.

The brunette pouted, rich orbs expressing strong poignancy, "Why not? It's his first night on his own." Her hormones were still evidently all over the place, her current feelings of sentimental raw.

"What about if we bring his basket in here?" The blonde compromised, "As cute as he is, I do object to a kitten sharing our bed." She comprehended that one night could easily evolve into every night, and that if the feline learnt that he was allowed to share as a youngster, they would never be able to evict him successfully, "We'll give him a blanket to snuggle under so he will feel like he is with his siblings."

* * *

Christine rolled over as she roused subsequently to muting her blaring alarm clock, elongating a slender arm to delicately wrap around her wife's waist. An instant frown suppressed her features as she learnt that the brunette wasn't next to her. Her partner's side of the bed was cold and vacant. It wasn't rare for Nikki not to be present when she woke, she often attended to go for a run in the mornings before work, but she would always leave a scribbled note on her pillow. There was nothing.

The blonde inclined forward, brushing her messy, untamed hair from her face and glanced towards the cat basket, hazarding a guess that her wife would be with their kitten. She wasn't. Fiddles remained curled up fast asleep. She kicked the bedding away, freeing her limbs from the tangle of sheets and planted her feet firmly on the wooden floor, shuddering at the bitterness colliding with her warm feet.

As she padded downstairs, enfolding herself in her snug dressing gown on the way, the aroma of singing tickled her nostrils. She couldn't decide whether she found this relieving or not. It could indicate many things. The headmistress ambled to the kitchen doorway, leaning against the painted frame. A sigh of relief floated from her plump lips; Nikki was humming melodiously to the radio that reverberated the background whilst cooking breakfast.

The charred smell was self explained, the deputy head had evidently burnt something. Not that she was surprised, it wasn't the first time she had 'over cooked' something as she preferred to claim. The kitchen was in an alarming state; she hadn't though it was actually possible to create such disorder while preparing breakfast!

Nikki jarred slightly as she captured sight of Christine, startled. "How long have you been there?" She queried as she popped two slices of white bread into the toaster and pressed the leaver down, then flicking the kettle on to boil.

She shrugged faintly, "Not long."

"I couldn't sleep." The former army captain confessed, "So I was going to make you breakfast in bed but it didn't really go to plan." She chewed her lip apprehensively. She had managed to burn the porridge to the pan, then singed the contributions to a fry up. She concluded that the fry up would be the better of the two meals, or at least the more edible.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Christine smiled as she dropped teabags into two mugs and added adequate amounts of sugar, water and milk. Although after tasting the food, she concluded that breakfasts any more complicated than toast or cereal she should stick to making. Nikki's food left a charred flavour, not exactly classified as edible.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! I'm going to include some of what happens in the show into this story but adapted slightly (so if you are yet to catch up on S10E1 and don't want to know what happens, then don't read this yet). Hope you like this part, it's the longest update I've wrote in ages so I hope it doesn't drag too much!_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 6

Nikki had walked into the centre of chaos. The foyer was teeming with students, all clustered together in a dense bunch. They were noisy. Their chatter reverberated the school entrance. Many of the adolescents were grabbing what appeared to be strips of paper from the linoleum floor. She didn't fully realise exactly what they were rushing to collect until Darren Hughes shouted. "Oi you lot! Get off! Give that back! That money's mine!"

"Everyone settle down! I want everyone to hand that money to me!" The English teacher raised her voice, tone poised and assertive, "I want you all, except you - Darren Hughes - to go back to your classes. The show is over, for today at least." She instructed, an expression refining her features that indicated to any student that knew her, that now really wasn't a good time to test their luck.

She glared at Darren, "Get to my classroom, now." She pirouetted on her feet, hands occupied by the creased money and followed him closely, prepared incase he tried to run off. The brunette kicked her classroom door shut, and perceived the teen solemnly. "Darren, there is nearly four-hundred pounds worth of money here. Where does a school boy get that amount of cash?"

The lanky boy shrugged, head dipped down. His posture verified that he didn't really care. "Saved up to buy me Mum a present."

Nikki rolled her radiant orbs and stifled a laugh, "Like I believe that. You skipped school this morning and rock up here with a pocket full of money, where did you get it?"

"I told you, I saved it up." His anger was building, aggression that was bottle released in his voice.

"And I'm telling you, I don't believe you." She maintained a stern, calm and composed manner, harsh watch cast over him. She placed the money in her pocket and folded her arms. With nothing to say, Darren slumped down onto one of the chairs whilst the deputy head leant against her desk. "We are not leaving this room until you tell me the truth."

Darren thought for a while until he generated another excuse, "Me mum gave me some money for some new trainers." He poked his foot out from under the table, "Look!"

Again, the brunette rolled her cornflower-blue eyes. Did he really think she was that stupid? "Your mum doesn't have four pounds in her purse let alone four hundred. And that's the second lie you've told me today, are you gonna tell me anymore?"

"This is crap." The male grumbled and folded his arms.

"Yeah, it is." Nikki agreed shortly and perched on the edge of her desk, "We can sit here all day if you like, I don't really care."

Admitting defeat, he realised that Miss Boston wasn't going to give up until she learnt the truth. He was in trouble, big trouble regardless, "Alright, fine. I robbed it. From my mum's boyfriend." He mumbled.

"Darren!" She exlaimed.

"What?! I was angry, and just lifted it from his jacket." He shrugged, still not caring about the seriousness of his actions.

"Just because you are angry doesn't give you the right to go stealing money - or anything else for that matter - from people. You've just landed yourself in serious trouble."

"So? She deserves everything she gets for bringing that sleaze-ball back to our flat." The teenager wasn't feeling particularly obliging. He didn't give a damn.

"Right, get up. We're going to go see what Mrs Mulgrew has to say." Nikki ordered bluntly and walked across to the door and opened it, "Now please, Darren."

"Christine, I found Darren in the foyer with a large amount of cash; four hundred quid to be precise." Nikki informed her boss, dropping the vast, crumpled notes onto her desk, "I managed to get him to talk eventually and he confessed that he stole it from his mother's boyfriend."

The headmistress nodded, processing the information swiftly, "Right, well I'll try and phone his mother although she has never answered in the past. Thanks Nikki, I'll deal with this now." She rose to her feet subsequently to collecting the capital and walked out of her office to speak to Darren and instructed Sonya to contact his mother promptly.

"Still no answer." Sonya sighed as she placed the phone back on the holder, casting a brief glimpse at her boss. That was the fifth time she had tried.

"Well you're not gonna get an answer are you, landline got cut off months ago." The teenaged lad muttered, hands stuffed in his pockets and shoulders hunched as he deliberated how he was going to escape the trouble he had instigated.

Mrs Mulgrew - Mrs Boston; she had decided to keep her previous surname for work - exhaled an exasperated sigh, "Thanks for that useful piece of information, shame you couldn't have told me it half an hour ago. Come on, let's go. We are going home to see your mum."

"I don't wanna go home Miss." He scuffed his shoe along the carpet, tone feeble and low.

"Well it's either that or I call the police." Christine folded her arms sharply, manner authoritative. Darren was in enough trouble without being uncooperative as well.

"Fine." He mumbled reluctantly.

Nothing could have prepared either of them for the devastation established at the shoddy council flat. The adolescent had attempted to obstruct the headmistress's desire to speak to Mrs Hughes by telling her that her boyfriend had gone. Christine was in no mood to accept that though, determined to be sure that his mother wasn't at the flat before she left. Upon receiving no reply when she tapped repeatedly on the bedroom door which was closed, she had entered. Her breath caught in the back of her throat, heart stopping beating for a few split seconds as she saw the corpse laid on the bed. She followed procedure and phoned an ambulance and the police before her concentration turned to Darren.

"It's my fault she's dead! He killed her! He must have! I should never have stolen that money from him! I bet he blamed her and now she's dead." Darren's emotions were in a turmoil; angry and upset dominantly. He couldn't settle, pacing the pastoral care office and waving his arms about in his vent.

"It's not your fault, Darren. The police confirmed that they are almost certain that it was a heroin overdose, although there will be a postmortem to clarify that. The school will do everything we can to help you through this, I am always here if you need anyone to talk to." She had let Darren down before, she wasn't going to do that again, especially now. The blonde had made the executive decision for him to stay at the school house for the time being. It was either that or she would have to contact social services who were frankly no use what so ever previously.

Christine had recapped the days events for her deputy, perched at her desk with her head in her hands. She sympathised deeply for Darren, he faced a long and bumpy road ahead of him. "I thought his mother was getting better! She was on a program to help her stop the drugs. Why didn't we notice that there was still an issue. Perhaps we could have prevented her from administrating the heroin overdose that ended her life."

Nikki roughly ran her tongue over her smudged lips apprehensively for a moment, contemplating what would be the most sensible, logical and effective protocol considering the awful situation that had evolved, "Don't be so hard on yourself we weren't to know and there was nothing we could have done. Look, you should stay with Darren, he's just lost his mother. I'll go to my appointment at the clinic alone, it's more important that you make sure he's okay."

"No, no, no." The headmistress shook her head sternly although confidentially torn between what was the correct decision. The adolescent's welfare was imperative but showing her support and attending the scheduled slot with her wife was also essential - after all, it was originally her idea. "Darren is with Maggie at the school house along with his mates. I'm sure he will be fine, he probably wouldn't appreciate being crowded anyway. I'll check in with Maggie later to make sure everything is okay. I need to come with you."

The brunette nodded, tension burning bitterly and cutting. She was conscious that this appointment would expose details that Christine was yet to be knowledgable of. The deputy head was mindful that it was self-inflicted and indeed her fault, but her interior emotions - emotions that she kept well concealed - were to potent to dispense with. It would generate stress and perhaps fractures in their relationship, that she was certain of. "If you're sure?" Her voice faltered faintly, tainted with anxieties.

Christine nodded, "I'm positive." She regained her equilibrium and inhaled a couple of lengthy breaths to sooth her erratic breathing. Today had sure been fuelled with adrenaline, but not for the right reasons. Clasping her fingers around her handbag, she glanced hastily at the clock that ticked innocently, "Come on, we better get going if we don't want to be late."

* * *

Christine could visibly observe that her wife was perturbed as they waited in the seat area for their name to be called. She was fretful and jittery, orbs diverting around the confined room frantically as she fiddled with her fingers. "Are you okay? You seem rather...unsettled?" She prompted for answers, only able to relate and understand Nikki's nerves for their very first appointment.

Nikki nodded rapidly, "Yeah, I'm fine." She glanced at the older female and forced a - fake yet reassuring - smile, then obliging herself to regain some composure. Her thoughts were spiralling as she pondered how she was going to confess the truth to her wife when the details were revealed by the doctor.

"Nicola Boston?"

The brunette rose to her feet and interlaced hands with her wife as they walked into the designated room where Christine sat on the chair and Nikki sat on the edge of the bed, orbs flickering with fear and worry.

Following a couple of questions, the part that the former army captain was hesitant and angst-riddled of came. She knew that in moments the relatively placid ambience would disappear. She could already feel the pressure building.

The doctor checked her hormone levels, expecting to see a vast rise in the levels, or at least a significant increase. But the reading was the exact same to the reading before the brunette started the hormonal injections. This just raised suspicions, Nikki innocently twiddling her fingers against the bed.

"There hasn't been a rise in your hormone levels at all, which is extremely rare if you have had all your injections. You have had them all, haven't you, Mrs Boston?"

"What? Of course she has! Haven't you, Nik?" Christine's response was instantly, marginally infuriated at what the doctor was silently implying.

Nikki pursed her lips together apprehensively, drifting her gaze to evade either of the two females's scrutiny. Her breathing was briskly gaining speed, a nauseous feeling developing her in her stomach. Fear saturated her veins. The acidic taste rising to her mouth. She couldn't tell the truth, she physically couldn't. They were agonising memories that she wasn't convinced her wife would understand or compensate.

"Nikki?" A frown suppressed the blonde's features; perplexed. She recalled that the deputy head's mood swings hadn't been so severe and erratic lately, in fact they had been non existent. She had presumed that her wife was just adapting to them. But now she really thought about it, it all slotted together. "Did you stop the injections?"

She couldn't engage eye contact with Christine knowing that she wanted a baby. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, barely audible, and vaulted off the bed and dashed out the door. Teardrops were prickling the corners of her sparkly orbs, her entire body trembling. She sprinted into the ladies, leaning against the wall for support. She could feel her legs buckling beneath her, and she plummeted to the floor, curling up into the foetal position. Tears rolled down her cheeks hastily, strangled sobs floating from her lips. She had ruined everything.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: **Thank you for reading and reviewing! Sorry I've taken a while to update, I've had no motivation to write for this. I hope this update is okay and up to standards as I'm a little unsure myself. Will update as soon as I can as I'm really busy at the moment. X_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 7

Liberating herself from her perch subsequently to being constrained to her seat - temporarily paralysed - as she desperately endeavoured to digest the detail that her wife had purposely impeded her IVF treatment, she apologised to the doctor and dashed to locate Nikki. Masses of perplexed thoughts swirled around her head, coveting for answers. She just didn't understand.

Hurtling through the mechanised door, she scanned the room briskly for the brunette before darting into the restrooms. She comprehended that Nikki would have gone somewhere private to be alone, refusing to allow people to see her in such a vulnerable state. And her thoughts were correct. "Nikki," she breathed tenderly, anger fading when she perceived her internally fragmented wife. Her orbs were still wild with dismay and mystery though.

The deputy head didn't even compel to a feeble attempt of raising her head, concealing her tear saturated orbs and cheeks, puffy and red, and the irregular, muffled sobs. She was currently incapable of confronting her wife, cowardly choosing to position an invisible mask over her fears and problems. "I'm sorry," she whispered faintly.

Christine enveloped the younger woman into her embrace despite Nikki not being particularly receiving to the intimate contact. "I'm not angry with you...well perhaps a little annoyed but nothing major. I just don't really understand, I thought you wanted a baby and were happy to go through with this?"

Reluctant, the brunette finally tilted her head upwards, hazily gazing bleakly into the distance vacantly and applying her focus to the lacklustre wall. She elevated her arm and swiped away the stationary tears viciously. "I do." She couldn't decipher if she was trying to convince Christine or herself, but her tone was a stifled babble, "It's just...I don't know. It's too complicated." Everything was a turmoil twister, she couldn't think straight. It was a disorderly jumble; anxieties, fear, misery, rage, and remorse.

The older female had the experience and knowledge to not push her for an explanation directly. She needed to be diplomatic yet cautious. Tactfully prizing her from her durable shell. Her first priority was to calm her wife down though, tracing soothing circles on her back and instructing her to inhale deep and lengthy breaths. "You know you can tell me anything. But if today has taught me anything, then that is that there are gaps in our relationship." She punished herself for not noticing Nikki's desolation - although Nikki did conceal it impeccably. And had silently learnt that there was evidently a trust fault somewhere as well.

Nikki had heaved herself to her feet shakily, planting the palms of her hands flat against the marbled surface surrounding the sinks for support. She scrunched her eyes closed, pursing her lips momentarily as she shook her head forlornly, "I can't tell you." She murmured mutedly, exhaling a wretched and equally tense sigh.

"Can't or won't?" Christine regained her equilibrium, propping herself against the painted wall. She studied her wife closely, curious about the secret she seemed to be hiding. Perhaps her response had been more cutting - too cutting - than intended, but she was only wishing, maybe prying, to extract the truth from her.

She shrugged futilely, "You'd hate me." The teacher stated matter of factly, gnawing on her bottom lip. Christine merited a justification. She was just mentally rehearsing what to say, and terminating her rationalisation for as long as she could with trivial excuses.

"How can you be certain of that? Try me."

Nikki ran her tongue coarsely over her dry lips, throat suddenly becoming parched and she was unable to swallow properly. She fiddled with her fingers, impotent of looking her wife in the eye, "I...I-I have a daughter." She murmured quietly with falters.

The blonde's breath piled in the back of her throat, she hadn't been sure what to expect, but it definitely wasn't that confession. "A d-daughter?" She stuttered, Scottish accent thick.

The former army captain nodded, "Yeah," she clarified mutedly, some what reassured that Christine didn't appear to be too angry, more in a state of shock. Understandably. "A daughter, Eve. She's seventeen."

It was a lot to process, considerable as a bombshell. A whirlwind of questions flurried around her head. Why had Nikki never told her about this? It was something so vast to keep a secret. Was there anything else that the brunette hadn't admitted? Why wasn't Eve with her mother? "Why didn't you tell me?" She queried, bewildered.

Nikki shrugged again, fumbling over her sentence, "I didn't think it was relevant. You will never meet her. I will never see her again." She said simply, exhaling a long sigh as she raked her slender fingers through her untamed, chestnut-coloured hair.

"How do you positively know that? Did something happen? You can tell me the truth, no matter how bad it is." The headmistress encouraged, tone placid and composed. She hadn't lost her temper at the unpredicted announcement.

She sighed forlornly. Why did everything have to be so complicated? She feared Christine's reaction to her reasons, scared that she would spoil the entire of their relationship she was desperate to salvage. Shaking her head, she erased the single teardrop harshly that had leaked from her broken, glassy orbs.

"Come on, Nik. I'm not here to judge. I just want to be able to understand. She promised as she situated her hand on her wife's back, rubbing tiny, comforting circular motions.

The brunette inhaled a deep breath, "I was nineteen, stupid and foolish. I married a man - Stuart - when I hadn't known him a great deal of time, met him in the army. It didn't last long...I fell pregnant and I wanted an abortion. I wasn't ready for the responsibilities that came with a baby. But her found me in time, begged me not to. He wanted that child. We made a deal, I'd have the baby and he would raise it. I was ambitious and career orientated." She paused momentarily, staring at the floor, "I had her, and I thought I'd have that moment when your baby is first born and when you're just looking at her and thinking that it was all worth it. But I felt nothing. I felt empty." She mumbled. "I left the hospital without my baby, he pleaded with me to keep in contact but I made him tell her that I was dead. I thought it would be easier if I was just erased. I'm sorry."

Christine now completely cognised and appreciated the English teacher's actions and behaviour. It all made rational sense. "Nik, I wish you had told me. You should have said if you didn't want a baby, I'd have understood."

"I do want a baby, but what if it happens again? What if I don't feel anything and can't connect with the child. It's not fair on him or her." She whispered feebly, finally engaging with eye contact and falling into the older female's secure arms.

"I can't guarantee that it won't, I'm sorry. There is no magic combination that you don't know. It's up to you if you want to go through with this. If you do, we should stay positive. If it happens, then we'll face it when it does. Sometimes we have to take risks, we were all born to fly but we have to find that confidence. I'd hate for you to live regretting that you could have tried to bond with a baby again." She was being honest, that was the reality.

Nikki nodded as she compelled herself to pull herself together, "Okay, I'll do it. We are in this together." She sounded more confident and certain but there were remaining hints and wavers of panic and ambiguity.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: **Thank you for the reviews. Sorry for taking ages to update, been so busy and had writers block for this story. I probably would have wrote this on the weekend but I went to see Heather Peace live instead xD hope you like this update. :3_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 8

"Happy Birthday Mrs Boston." A delicate smiled graced Nikki's features as she rolled over and propped herself up with her elbow, then inclined forward and planted a passionate kiss on her wife's lips.

The blonde groaned grumpily at being disturbed from her peaceful slumber, "What time is it?" She mumbled sleepily, refusing to open her orbs properly.

"Seven," The younger female replied softly. Containing her excitement was becoming increasingly difficult as she was bursting for Christine to discover her surprise.

With a grumble, Christine rolled over and pulled the pillow over the top of her head, "Go away, it's too early for me to get up on a weekend, and especially my birthday." She muttered, Scottish accent thick.

WRWRWRWRWRWRWRWRWRWWR

Piled on the wooden unit situated in the hall was an accumulation of cards and small presents that Nikki had collected from their colleagues at work. Christine collected the mass of birthday related items and perched on the sofa with them, ready to open them, whilst her wife cooked.

Simon and Sue had bought her a bottle of lavish wine. Sonya had given her an abstract pen and pencil pot for her desk. Audrey had presented a classic book. Then she had gift vouchers from some of the others, and a costly bottle of champagne from Hector, which evidently must have cost a fortune. Why he had spent so much, she wasn't entirely sure.

There was one crisp, white envelope that was blank. It wasn't addressed to anyone specifically, yet the contents were sealed. She presumed it was for her - it had been jumbled in the midst of all her birthday cards. She neatly tore open the envelope and removed the card. A surprised gasp floated from her pinky lips, breath catching in the back of her throat and her heart skipped a couple of important beats as she processed the words on the front of the card.

_'Happy Birthday Mummy.'_

A cute, little version of the tatty teddy bear was clutching a giant balloon, the sweetest smile on it's face. She flicked the card open to reveal the inside, orbs instantly fixated to the piece of paper clipped to the top. It was the results of a blood test. Nikki's blood test. It was a confirmation that her wife was pregnant. She suppressed her squeal of pure delight and leapt to her feet, dashing to the kitchen doorway where she perceived the brunette humming to the radio and dancing innocently as she pottered around the kitchen.

Her rich brown eyes were gripped to her wife's tummy; still flat and toned. She appeared no different. She was thrilled, joy saturated her veins. Nikki was having a baby. They were having a baby. A tiny little baby.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" The blonde beamed, a cheesy smile refining her features.

Nikki jumped slightly with a start, cheeks flushing a rosy shade of red in embarrassment of being witnessed dancing around the room to the tacky music reverberating from the radio. "I wanted it to be a surprise!" She grinned gleefully, contours radiating with a subtle, natural glow.

"Well it certainly was that, and it was definitely the best present I received today." She zealously tossed her arms around her lover, enveloping her into her warm embrace and crashing her own lips against Nikki's lips. "I can't believe we are having a baby!" She tenderly rested her hand on her wife's stomach.

"I know," The brunette whispered, lips millimetres away from Christine's, "The food is ready, I'll just dish it up and then I'll come into the lounge." She pulled away from the older woman, diverting her attention back to her cooking that appeared to be going relatively well. At least what was visible to Christine anyway.

Nikki entered the lounge with the food and flopped down beside the blonde on the couch, cornflower-blue orbs scanning the array of presents scattered over the coffee table, "Who bought the bottle of champagne?" She inquired curiously subsequently to noting the brand.

"Hector."

The former army captain frowned, "Hector?" She almost choked on her mouthful, perplexed as to why he had given such an expensive and exquisite gift, "That was generous of him."

"I know," Christine nodded, "Er Nik, isn't trifle supposed to have clear, defined layers?" She glanced at the dessert that was placed on the table, a mixture of ingredients that had blended together. Even the strawberries had submerged.

With a shrug, she stifled a laugh, "Probably, I don't know."

Christine rolled her orbs and shook her head with a laugh, "You're supposed to let each layer set before adding the next. I'll teach our child to make a proper trifle."

Nikki pouted, "It's the thought that counts." She argued.

* * *

"Okay, so there is just one last announcement for today's staff briefing. Myself and Nikki both have something we would like to tell you all." Christine addressed the staffroom, interlacing hands with Nikki, able to detect that she was apprehensive about their notice, anxious of reactions. It was daunting for everyone to be informed as it was something rather personal to the pair but they had both agreed that people needed to know. It would prevent any gossip in coming months as well.

Glancing at her deputy head who nodded thinly, eyes flickering with tension, the blonde squeezed her head reassuringly and soothingly before checking she had everyones attention, "Nikki...well we...we are expecting our first child."

The response was diverse; congratulations and then some adults just starred in shock, utterly speechless. Hector bowed his head, expressionless. "Right that's it for today, I'll let you all get off to your lessons. Try and have a good day." She dismissed her colleagues before ensuring Nikki was okay and departed to her office.

Nikki exited the staffroom and treaded down the corridor, petite heels of her famous ankle boots clunking against the cheap, linoleum floor. She paused in her steps when she heard Sue speak, trying to capture her attention. "Congratulations." The redhead smiled as her heels clicked against the floor.

"Thanks." She replied sincerely, raking her fingers through her hair and shoving them in the pockets of her smart jeans.

"You're so lucky! I want a baby, but Simon doesn't." The science teacher sighed forlornly, "It must be great having a little life growing inside of you!"

Sue's high pitched tone irritated Nikki, "Yeah, it is I guess." She wasn't comfortable in the younger female's company, "Maybe he's not ready for kids yet, it is a big commitment."

The redhead shrugged, "Anyway, are you sure you should be going on the resilience camp in a few weeks? Like, is it really practical?" She was patronising.

The brunette frowned, "Yes, I'm sure. Look Sue, just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I need or want any special treatment. I'm perfectly capable of going on the resilience camp without there being any risk." She hissed and peered at her watch, "I have a class to go to."


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: **Thank you for reading and reviewing. I think I'm going to use some like 'mini ideas' in this fic now at different stages of Nikki's pregnancy, so for the next few chapters I'm going to loosely follow the resilience camp storyline :) hope you like this update!_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 9

"That is totally ingenious." Nikki laughed with spirit, shaking her head as she recalled Dynasty Barry's methods of rustling alcohol on the resilience camp.

The headmistress was correspondingly impressed with their unique approach, "Let's just hope no one else has any hidden in anymore _strange_ places."

The brunette cringed, "Uh - don't!"

"It should be me going instead, not you." Christine had been adamant of that detail ever since she had been informed of her wife's pregnancy, but had aversely agreed with she refused to stay behind.

"I'll be fine, Christine. Stop worrying. You have a school to run, I dread to think what could occur if you left George in command. And someone needs to look after Fiddles." She suppressed a chuckle and peered at her watch; she really needed to return to the coach, everyone would be delayed because of her. But she wanted to savour these last moments with her wife before being parted from her.

The blonde nodded and pecked the former army captain's lips tenderly, "Just look after yourself, and baby. I want to know if anything happens." She stroked Nikki's silky cheek with the pad of her thumb fondly.

"You'd better be thinking of me, I have to spend four days in the wilderness with Gabriella, Dynasty, Kacey, Darren, Lisa and Shaznay. All they ever do is bicker relentlessly! And I have the loved up couple, Sonya and bloody Hector for company." Nikki complained forlornly as she pulled her sleek, chestnut-coloured hair into a tiny bobble. It was going to be a long four days, that was certain.

"I will, and that's four days for me without you." Christine loathed even thinking about it, "Be careful, okay?"

The former army sergeant nodded, "I will." She pivoted and ambled out of the female restroom, "I'll see you at the end of the week."

* * *

"Why do I have to help you set up camp? Why can't you take Sue or Sonya?" Nikki wasn't zealous about being elected to help pitch tents and arrange everything for the others arrival, much more content at the prospect of locating her way through the Scottish countryside.

"Because they won't be as helpful as you." Hector stated smugly as he continued to hand out the map and compass sets to the students as the former army captain sighed exasperatedly. "Cheer up, Nik. It's supposed to be fun."

"Right guys, we'll see you back at camp! Mine and Miss Boston's mobile numbers are on the back should you get into difficulty! Off you go!"

"Good luck everyone!" Nikki encouraged before reluctantly climbing back onto the bus with Hector.

Disembarking at the designated location that she had been chosen to create camp, Hector disappeared to collect fire wood and construct the camp fire whilst Nikki began assembling some of the smaller tents. Despite Simon's covet for the absent use of help resources, the PE teacher lit the fire with a lighter, perceiving as the developing flames of vibrant yellows, dinged oranges and hearty reds tackled the fresh logs and rose from the ground.

Perching down on the ground beside Nikki, he grasped a peg and lined it up precisely ready to thump into the ground, "So, what's it like with Christine?" He endeavoured casually, focused on making sure the rope was pulled tight to support the tent structure.

"Hector." Nikki grimaced, cringing at the question that really wasn't necessary. She smacked the block hammer onto the peg, securing it into the ground and then passed it to him once she was finished with it and regained her equilibrium as she moved to prepare the bush shower.

"No, I mean like being the happy couple and that. You're young and married, and expecting a kid. It must be a big deal." He was prying and the brunette comprehended that but figured she had no choice but to go with it for now.

"Not really," She shrugged, "Everything has always been a joint decision and we feel that we are ready." That was the truth.

"But all the commitment and everything...planning your future together, growing old, raising and supporting a kid. Don't you get bored with the same person." Hector didn't appreciate the value of loyalty and devotion, the joy that Nikki felt every single time she captured sight of her stunning, wedding ring, and rousing every morning next to that one person that could always make her smile and boost her mood even on the most darkest days.

"No." The female frowned, reply sharp and cutting, "What's the matter? Is it all too heavy duty for you?" She puckered her brow as she deposited the plastic sheet beneath the shower.

"A bit, yeah." He nodded, arms crossed across his chest as he admired Nikki; her beautiful figure, curves and arcs perfectly maintained. His type of girl.

Nikki scoffed and rolled her cornflower-blue orbs radically, "It's just as well it's me then, and not you." She glanced upwards at the wild shower, "Right, we've finished." She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

"Do you think it's too high?" The male peered up at the rope, deliberating whether it was too high and should be lowered to accommodate for the vertically challenged students.

"Nope!" The brunette exclaimed and promptly vaulted into the air and seized the rope, resulting in the icy contents of the bucket tipping out and cascading over the PE teacher; glacial water fountained in a tumbling gush. She observed silently before erupting into merry laughter and doubled over for her entertainment at Hector's expense.

Hector jolted at the initial contact, shuddering uncontrollably, "What was that for?!" He glowered, shaking marginally to discard excess water, "Oh, I get it." He smirked, "You just want to see me with my kit off!" He deduced and happily removed his sodden resilience camp t-shirt, far too self proud and confident with his body.

Nikki tilted her head to one side, battling to restrict her giggles. She gnawed her bottom lip subconsciously, "Mr Reid...you're so _sexy_!"

He seemed pleased with that response, grinning like an idiot without a hint of self-consciousness at the remark, "Really?" He was hopeful; _really_ hopeful.

"No!" She laughed and pivoted around, padding back towards the camp fire to start some sausages cooking in hope that the aroma in the atmosphere may lure the kids in the correct direction.

Hector grumbled as he squeezed the water from his shirt. Perhaps this wasn't going to be quite as easy as he had originally anticipated and hoped. He could play games, but it appeared that she could also. Before following Nikki, he chose to switch his phone off, truly believing that he was going to get somewhere.

The no nonsense teacher teacher rolled her eyes as Hector reappeared, scoffing at the detail he contently paraded around topless and completely modest, "Surely you have another shirt you can put on?" The view wasn't pretty, her stomach churned.

He shrugged, "I'm not cold." He basked nature's temperature gladly, "So, have you even been with any blokes before?" He was curious, desiring to learn more facts as to whether who would be able to succeed in winning the former army captain's heart.

"Excuse me?" The deputy head was repelled at his personal questions, equally irritated, "Hector, that is non of your business." She said sincerely in a moderately raised tone; a ominous warning. She paced towards his tent and descended to the ground and started rummaging through his rucksack.

"What are you doing?" He followed towards the recently pitched tent, watching as she hunted through his possessions.

"Finding you another shirt to put on before the others get here." The brunette explained, her lips parted as she scoffed mutedly, unimpressed and disappointed at what she had just discovered, "Didn't you confiscated this from Harley Taylor this morning?" She revealed the bottle of cheap scotch.

Nodding, he confirmed Nikki's suspicions, "You never know when you might need it. Do you fancy some now? To warm us up." He offered optimistically and grasped the glass bottle from her.

"I thought you weren't cold." She rose to her feet, serious expression consuming her features. Bringing alcohol on a school trip was totally unprofessional and bluntly obtuse. She wished not to be a part of it as the consequences if caught would be serious - and she wasn't alacritous to risk harming her developing child.

"I'm getting frost bite off your look." He retorted with an innocent smirk, "So, fancy a quick one?" Hector's eyes darted around before fixated back on the brunette in front of him, a smug smirk smothered on his face as he clutched the bottle of whiskey in one hand.

Her response was feeble, vulnerability was displaying faintly as her discomfort of being alone with the PE teacher climaxed, "What?" She had sharply pirouetted around, staring vacantly at the male, perplexed.

"A drink." He was still grinning naively, gesturing to the alcoholic beverage, "Why? What do you think I meant?" His tone was suggestive and seductive attempts weren't having the desired impact, orbs leery craftily.

"We both know exactly what meant and were trying to imply." Nikki stated matter-of-factly, teeth gritted together as she folded her arms austerely, frankly bored of his company and juvenile flirting, "And you know very well that I won't touch a drop of that stuff at the moment, anyway."

"Which is why the other option is better. No one would find out, Nik. I mean, it's not like there is the risk of me knocking you up. It would be our secret."

An expression of repulsion refined the brunette's features as she shook her head disapprovingly, "Hector, I don't even like you. And I'm married. You really are disillusioned if you think I would ever be attracted to you, so just drop it. Please." She shifted to go check on the sausages sizzling on the man-made fire but was paused in her tracks when Hector grasped her arm, pulling her closer to his embrace.

"Don't be like this, Nikki. Why can't you just see it?" He was becoming increasingly frustrated that his feelings were not mutual. That was always the case with whoever he fell for. He was desperate. He raised his hand, fingers trailing the smooth skin of Nikki's face as his lips inched closer.

The English teacher flinched back and scowled angrily as she released herself from his grip, "Piss off, Hector." She hissed significantly and hurried back to the camp fire where she was greeted by a cluster of teens who had successfully navigated their way to the camp, "You made it! Well done guys." She praised as positively as she could manage, still reeling from Hector's actions, "And you're first back, so the luxury tent is all yours! Help yourselves to the sausages, they should be cooked now." She forced a smile as the adolescents cheered.

Simon, Sue and Sonya trailed into the camp at least forty-five minutes later, muttering expletives beneath their breath when they learnt that they weren't going to occupy the luxury tent that was complete with it's very own bush shower.

"What took ya so long Sir?!" Kacey shouted as her friends sniggered at their teachers delayed arrival.

"Right, is everyone here?" Nikki requested, mentally counting heads to ensure that all the students had all safely arrived, but she frowned when she realised that she continued to count one short every time, "Someone's missing." She informed Simon as she scanned the teens, searching for the missing face, "It's Gabby." She had thought that the girls were unusually quiet; it was too good to be true that they were actually getting along with each other, "Guys, listen up. Has anyone seen Gabriella?!"


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews. I hope this update is okay and up to standard as I'm not so sure myself - I've rewrote this a few times and yeah. If you have a few moments, I'd really appreciate it if you, left a review. :)_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 10

"Gabriella!"

The teachers and students had divided into two groups and were trekking through the Scottish countryside, hunting for the affluent blonde. Dusk was rapidly approaching, it was now a race against time to locate the adolescent before night fall really set in.

"Look! There she is!" The recently qualified science teacher exclaimed as she gestured into the direction of where she had spotted the wealthy teen subsequently to perceiving the muffled shrieks.

Everyones eyes followed to where Sue was pointing, frowns of perplexity refining all of their features simultaneously as they observed their superior - arrogant - classmate squeal in terror, marooned in the centre of a murky loch in a rowing boat. Some of the kids erupted into laughter at how stupid Gabriella appeared, whilst the former army captain's expression amplified in horror as she continued to run towards the waters edge.

"Why's she in a boat?!" Kacey puckered her brow in confusion as she halted in her pace and observed the entire situation.

"I have no idea." Nikki shrugged, equally baffled by everything. She glanced momentarily at the red head who now paused to her side, "One of us is going to have to go in and get her." She added a look that hinted that she desired for Sue to be the one that dived into the icy water, confidentially concerned for the well being of her unborn child if she was the one to enter. The cold would evidently be a shock to her system and she was reluctant to allow unnecessary pressure on her body.

"What sort of a bimbo goes in a boat and loses her oars!" Dynasty scoffed and crossed her arms dramatically as she saw one of the wooden oars floating near the surface by the lake bank.

Sue scowled and screwed her nose up in disgust, "Well don't look at me, there is absolutely no way that I am getting in there." She stepped back, "It's filthy in there and there's loads of algae plant stuff growing too! It's just gross."

"Help me! Help me! Please help me!" Gabriella's strangled cries were erratic as she waved her arms desperately to attract attention to herself. A suppressed scream escaped her glossy lips in the midst of her sobs as she clutched the edge of the old, rotted boat sway dangerously.

The brunette rolled her cornflower-blue orbs, "Fine, I'll go." She hissed as she swiftly removed her jacket and deposited it onto the long grass, "Phone Simon or Hector." She instructed before she plunged skilfully into muddy mere, emerging a few metres away after recovering from the initial reaction as the glacial water temperatures contacted with her skin and beginning to swim fiercely.

"That was a well good dive, Miss!" Kacey complimented with a cheer.

"Gabriella, just stay still." Nikki requested, breathing heavy, as she heaved herself up and grasped the edge of the boat, wanting a moment to catch her breath and allow her heart beat to regulate.

The posh blonde refused to comply, springing around clumsily with high pitched squeals and causing the rowing boat to rock violently until it finally inverted into the loch. They both materialised from beneath the water, the English teacher grasping hold of the Wark's offspring and starting to swim back to the shore.

"Are you okay?" Nikki descended to her knees and brushed her drenched hair from her face, then rubbing Gabriella's back as the girl coughed and spluttered over the pond water she had ingested.

"Gobby looks like a drowned rat!" Darren exclaimed with laughter, causing amusement to his cluster of friends.

"Darren, shut up!" Simon scowled bluntly, then diverting his attention back to Gabriella and his colleague.

The affluent teen slowly nodded and hauled herself to her feet, clenching the former army sergeants dry jacket that had just been enveloped around her shoulders for some warmth. She glared at her fellow students who were enjoying her humiliation before dipping her head and walking with Sue and Simon back to the base camp.

"What about you, Nik? Are you okay?" Upon hearing Hector's irritating voice, the brunette raised her head from where she had been gazing vacantly at the ground, wiping the beads of water that rolled down her face from her soaked locks away, "I'm fine. Just leave me alone, Hector. Go back to camp, I'll come in a moment." Her tone was hostile and bitter towards the PE teacher, still angry at earlier events.

"Okay, I'm going." He held his hands up in defence, a smug smirk remained plastered across his face, "But please, take my jacket. You're freezing. I wouldn't want you to risk catching a cold anymore than you already have." Her shivers were extremely noticeable.

Christine's wife rose to her feet abruptly, "What part of I said I was fine and leave me alone didn't you understand?" She snapped harshly and paced away. Once out of sight from Hector, and anybody else, she grasped her phone from her pocket and dialled Christine's number; she had promised to report if anything happened.

* * *

"Nikki, a word please." Fury laced Simon's tone, gaze narrowed and fixated on the brunette who was perched on the edge of one of the make shift log seats, nursing a milky hot chocolate as she relished the heat source from the sizzling fire in attempt to raise her body temperature and obstruct the violent shudders.

Reluctantly, the deputy head regained her equilibrium and followed Simon away from the others. Her orbs flickered nervously as she raked her fingers through her damp, chestnut-coloured hair, "Simon?" She pursed her lips together momentarily, already suspecting what the topic of this conversation was going to be.

He crossed his arms, visibly agitated, "Why did you phone Christine?" He demanded to know the reasons behind the phone call that Nikki had secretly made behind his back.

Exhaling a deep sigh, she then responded, "She needed to know." She stated bluntly, not in the mood for this discussion and his opinions on her actions.

Simon scoffed, "Technically yes, but in reality no. And if anyone was going to tell her then it should have been me! You undermined me." He huffed juvenilely, "But I hope you're happy now, because she has cancelled the resilience camp and has commanded that we pack up camp and return to school!"

Nikki's mouth parted marginally, faltering over her reply, "Simon...you know that was never my intention. I wouldn't do that to the kids." Her voice was a feeble whisper yet slurred with defence.

The PE teacher strolled over when her overheard the tense chat transpiring between his colleagues and detecting that his crush was stressed with the whole situation, "What's going on?"

"Nikki called Christine behind my back and told her about the incident with Gabriella. She has ordered that we call off the entire camp, pack up and get back to school as soon as possible." Simon ranted, sulking grumpily about having to inform the kids who had been so excited for weeks about this camp.

"Oh, well I'm sure she was only doing what she thought was right. And Christine's probably right, Gabriella should be checked over really." Hector shrugged, conceitedly irritating the brunette by protecting her against the other deputy head and leader of the resilience initiative.

The female shot daggers at Hector after Simon wondered off back to the group, "I don't need you to fight my battles, I'm perfectly capable myself." She retorted austerely, "Did Gabby phone you?" She inquired candidly, wanting to know if the problems that had occurred could have been prevented. Although, now the prospect of returning to a heated and cosy home tonight sounded like bliss. She was freezing. And she could escape Hector's _un_charming company.

"No! No, she didn't." He lied convincingly, "I asked her and she told me that she lost her phone, therefore couldn't phone for help." He explained. It was half true; Gabriella had claimed to have lost her phone, but she had tried to call a couple of times prior.

Nikki nodded and treaded across to the others who were all moaning about having to leave and return to school. "This is all your fault!" Kacey yelled at the posh adolescent. "Why do you have to ruin everything!" Darren added. "It's alright for you, you have a nice house and can afford to go away whenever you like. For some of us this is the only chance we'll get of a holiday!" Rhiannon sighed. "You'll pay for this." Dynasty warned.

"Girls, it was no ones fault. Stop sniping at each others throats and get on with whatever Mr Lowsley has told you to dismantle." Nikki's attitude was assertive, the students gathered that now wasn't a good time to try and push their luck. But they were certain of one thing; Gabriella was going to pay for this.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: **Hello again! Hope you all had a great Christmas and a happy new year! Wishing you all the best for 2015. I'm back writing this story now and will update when I can! Hope people are still interested in this since it's been a while since I updated. _

_Can't believe the final ever series of WR is now airing D: I may include some of the new characters in this fanfiction, already have an idea for a certain newcomer! I'd love to know what you think! X_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 11

The bus accelerated through the famous deep red gates of Waterloo Road, halting near the entrance to the school were Christine patiently awaited their arrival, stood - posture poised and assertive - on the concrete steps with her arms crossed across her chest, her tailored suit jacket blowing mildly in the delicate offshore breeze.

"Right everyone. Make your way into the hall please, we'll have an update on what's happening shortly." The headmistress's manner matched her posture - authoritative - her Scottish accent was thick as she observed the adolescents file off the coach, scuffing their feet along the gravelly concrete and visibly infuriated with the situation.

"Are you okay?" Christine diverted her attention to her wife who was last to disembark off the coach, toned laced with compassion. The brunette's arms were tightly wrapped around herself evidently still feeling chilly, her complexion was paler than usual and untamed locks tousled and fuzzy from where it had dried naturally with no interference.

Nikki nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine - thanks." She forced a weak smile, "I'll see you later, I'd better go and let the kids know that we're currently in the process of contacting their parents." Squeezing the headmistress's hand reassuringly, she climbed the steps and walked into the main hall where everyone had gathered.

"Right guys, listen up." Nikki addressed the pupils after inhaling a sharp breath, obtaining the adolescents attention, "I know that you are all going to be extremely disappointed but Mrs Mulgrew has called an end to resilience education for the moment, we are yet to know fully whether this will be a permanent decision or not. We are currently contacting your parents and guardians, so if you could just stay in here and occupy yourselves for the time being." She requested sincerely before rotating to depart the hall but was halted by Simon and Hector.

"What?! Christine can't do that! Look how beneficial it is to some of the less academic students! She can't just recall it because of one inconsiderate pupil!" Simon huffed, enraged at the brunette's announcement.

"Si, Christine's made her decision. That's not Nik's fault. I'm sure in a few days when she's calmed down, she may reconsider." The PE teacher attempted to sooth the situation, flashing a subtle smile as the former army sergeant.

"But Nikki was the one who called her in the first place!" Simon exclaimed, "I'm going to go talk to her." He muttered and stormed out.

Nikki glared spitefully at Hector, "I don't need you to fight my battles for me, I am more than capable! Now do me a favour, stay away from me like I asked." She hissed before also leaving the main hall.

"Gabriella is so going to pay for this." Rhiannon groaned, angry that she was now stuck back in Greenock and had lost the only sort of holiday she was ever going to get whilst in education. Some of the others nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but we should leave it a while...get her when she ain't expecting it." Kacey inputted to which the others agreed again.

* * *

"Fiddles!" Nikki groaned exasperatedly as her treasured tabby cat tumbled into her bubble bath after losing his balance whilst walking cautiously along the edge of the bath. She removed the sodden feline from the sultry water that fizzed with bubbles and proceeded to dry him with a towel. Much to her surprise, he purred contently - she had expected him to be exceptionally grumpy subsequently to his run in with water.

Allowing the cat to jump from her lap, she pulled the plug in the bath and paced into the bedroom, climbing into the spacious bed and burying herself beneath the duvet, enveloping herself in the linen bedding in attempt to raise her body temperature.

Christine climbed the stairs equipped with two hot water bottles as she aimed to heat the bed up in advance to her wife's arrival. She frowned as she observed the brunette cocooned in numerous blankets, "I thought you were going for a bath?" She endeavoured as she deposited the hot water bottles on the bed.

"I was." She nodded, clarifying the headmistress's thoughts, "But then Fiddles jumped into my bath." She huffed with a grumble, "So I gave up on that idea." Extending her arm from the duvet, she grabbed one of the thermal bottles enthusiastically.

"I thought cats weren't supposed to like water?"

Nikki shrugged, "I don't know. Apparently he does. He likes toast too - he stole mine the other day." She folded her arms moodily, still annoyed with her feline's recent antics.

The older woman chuckled faintly, "I think you'll find he likes the butter more than the toast." She stated matter-of-factly and perched on the edge of the bed, reaching her arm out towards her lover who had just sneezed and continued to tremble violently, "Nik, you're so cold. I think that we should go to the hospital to make sure that you and the baby are both okay."

The deputy head frowned, unimpressed and reluctant at the prospect, "I'm fine, Christine. We're fine." She tried to reassure her partner but the blonde wasn't convinced.

"No," The head teacher shook her head, her tone delicate and laced with compassion, "No, you're not...will you let me take you to the hospital? For me please?"

Nodding reluctantly, the brunette plucked at the loose threads on the duvet cover, "But before we go...I have something to tell you." She glanced up momentarily, cornflower-blue orbs flickering around the room before she dipped her head again and concentrated on fiddling the the duvet threads.

Judging by her wife's peculiar behaviour, Christine was apprehensive about what Nikki's confession was. She extended her arm and rested her hand on the younger woman's knee tentatively, "Okay...what is it?" She was curious yet equally fearful but masked it impeccably.

Nikki ran her tongue over her lips roughly, inhaling deeply, "Hector tried to kiss me today, at the resilience camp." She whispered anxiously in a ramble before she convinced herself otherwise. "I didn't return the kiss, I promise. He's been flirting with me subtly for months but I just ignored him. I never thought he would try and make a move on me. I just thought you should know." Her pitch wavered with nerves, desperate for a reaction.

A frown succumbed the blonde's features, "Thank you for telling me." Her confession confirmed that the trust in their relationship was improving, "I'm not angry with you but I am annoyed with him." She enveloped her partner into her embrace, "Just keep your distance from him, yeah?"

She nodded zealously, "Don't worry, I plan to." She stifled a humourless laugh, "Thank you for understanding." She buried her face into Christine's top, inhaling her sweet smell; a combination of her Chanel perfume and coconut shampoo. It was a comforting aroma.

"Come on, let's head to the hospital."


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: **__Heyy! I'm back with another update for this story! It's short and not exactly interesting but it leads into my next idea which is revealed at the end of this chapter ;) I will try and update more regularly! Are people still reading this? xxx_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

Born To Fly - Part 12

Nikki tapped her foot against the tacky linoleum surface impatiently. She loathed hospitals passionately; especially the accident and emergency department that was brimming with clusters of people who had been the victims of unfortunate accidents or rapid health concerns that had forced them to seek medical attention.

Screaming kids were irritating her last nerve as she chewed at her fingernails anxiously, her other hand subconsciously resting on her stomach. They had been waiting for a couple of hours now, and the former army captain's composure was wearing thin.

"Here you go, let's see if this warms you up a little." The headmistress's thick Scottish accent hauled the brunette from her thoughts, grasping a polystyrene cup containing a freshly made brew from s vending machine.

Accepting the cup of tea, she allowed the heat that penetrated through the disposable cup to warm her frosty hands, "Thanks," she murmured gratefully, a petite yawn floating from her lips. All she really wanted to do was sleep, exhausted from her hectic day.

"Nicola Boston?"

"That's us now, come on. Providing everything is okay we will soon be heading home, but either way you'll be able to sleep soon." Christine said softly, rising to her feet and squeezing the brunette's hand comfortingly.

With a brief nod, the English teacher followed the friendly nurse through to a cubicle and settled herself on the bed as instructed. The blonde stood by her side, hands still interlaced tightly.

"So, Nicola, what brings you into A&amp;E tonight? My name is Dr Kirby but you can call me Jo." The doctor smiled warmly as she began taking the compulsory observations and scribbling notes.

"Uhm..there was a bit of an incident at work today - I'm a teacher. Basically, it was a school trip, and one of the students became stranded in the middle of a lake and I jumped in and went and rescued her." Nikki explained concisely, "But I'm also in the early stages of a pregnancy. We just wanted me to get checked out to make sure everything is okay with myself and the baby...we're probably just wasting your time but.." She was began to ramble with her nerves.

"The baby was conceived through IVF, so he or she is even more special. We're probably just overreacting..." The older woman added with a slight laugh, trying to break the uncomfortable atmosphere that was present.

"You've done the right thing." The consultant reassured, "I'll just finish your observations and go get an ultrasound machine so we can check everything is okay with baby. Have you experienced any pains or stomach cramps or anything abnormal like that?"

Nikki simply shook her head, "No," she confirmed, "I've just been struggling to get warm again, that's all." She murmured mutedly, glancing briefly between the doctor and her wife.

"Your temperature is a little bit low, but other than that, all your observations seem fine. And I suspect everything is absolutely fine with the baby but I'll go get the machine and double check. I won't be long." Jo grinned before exiting the cubicle.

The brunette tilted her head upwards, engaging eye contact with Christine, "I feel so stupid now. I am wasting their valuable time. There's probably a ton of people in that waiting room who are in need of serious medical help." She frowned, raking her fingers through her tousled hair, "She's probably right, the baby's likely to be content and happy."

"I know, I'm sorry I shouldn't have forced you into coming. I just worry." The blonde murmured, enveloping her arms around the English teacher, "But, we will get to see our little one for the first time." She attempted to lighten the mood, comprehending how tense and down the former army captain was.

Nikki nodded and gnawed at her bottom lip anxiously. Although she was gradually coming round to the idea of becoming a mother again, the prospect was still extremely daunting and she wasn't totally comfortable with the idea just yet. Her fears were still dominant with the situation regarding Eve.

Dr Kirby returned and promptly started the scan. Squirting a tiny blob of gel onto the brunette's stomach caused her to grimace at the coldness, but soon hers and the head teacher's orbs were glued to the little monitor as the doctor moved the probe over her stomach.

The screen was fuzzy, their baby only the size of a petite splodge currently yet it still made Christine awe and coo in excitement. For the very first time, they heard the faint drum of the baby's heartbeat. And the doctor verified that everything was okay and normal, instructing Nikki to rest with plenty of hot drinks and hot water bottles, and not to hesitate in returning if she had any concerns. She was free to go.

But what neither Christine or Nikki had realised was that for the whole time, Gabriella Wark had been in the next cubicle, also in A&amp;E to check she was okay after the incident at the resilience camp, and she had listened intently to everything. And the detail of Miss Boston's pregnancy was rather captivating; something she could use to her advantage.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: **Another update already! Thank you so much for the reviews. I will try and keep up with more regular updates but I'm currently writing 3 fics and attend to update the one that has the most readers primarily. Also, I've been struggling with this story but now have a vague idea of where it is going for a few chapters at least! I hope you like this longer part. :) xx_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 13

"Are you sure you want to come in today? You know you don't have to if you don't feel up to it." Christine watched apprehensively as her wife continued to finish clasping the buttons on her duck-egg blue shirt together, then smoothing out the creases with the palms of her hands.

With a sharp nod, the brunette spoke, "Christine, I'm fine. Please, stop fussing." She requested politely, tone melodious as she slipped her arms into her blazer and tugged at the sleeves until she was satisfied that it was sat perfectly. "You'll be the first to know if I'm not, okay?" She promised and planted a tender kiss on the headmistress's lips.

"Okay," The older woman nodded contently and perceived as she exited the bedroom and padded downstairs, heading in search of her own breakfast and to present her darling feline with his. Christine waited a few moments before following after locating her suit jacket and shoes for that day.

When the blonde arrived downstairs, Nikki was spooning out a quantity of cat food from a tin into Fiddles's bowl and adding a fresh treat of chopped chicken, the feline purring sweetly as he brushed against her legs affectionately. She deposited the bowl on the floor, the tabby exhaling a grateful meow before tucking into the food whilst the former army captain topped up his water bowl.

"What do you fancy for breakfast?" Christine endeavoured as she open the fridge door, scanning it's contents curiously.

The English teacher jerked her shoulders slightly, "Fruit and yoghurt with a sprinkling of granola." She concluded with a shy smile, her lover extending her arm into the fridge, "Preferably the exotic fruits and strawberries!" She added as she poured the boiling water into two mugs and mashed the teabags around with a teaspoon.

Christine shifted her hand from her wife's usual choice of fruit - a berry mixture - to the packet containing chunks of mango, papaya and pineapple and removed it from the fridge, along with the punnet of strawberries and natural yoghurt. "It's unlike you to go for that combination, you always scrunched your nose up at it before?"

The younger female dipped her head as she splashed some milk into their beverages, "Maybe I just really want some mango and papaya." She shrugged futilely, dismissing the question.

"Is somebody getting their first craving?" The blonde smirked with a teasing manner as she began to dish out the fruit.

"No! Maybe..." Nikki desired not to attract the attention that accompanied her very first cravings of this pregnancy, the head teacher tauntingly waving a piece of mango in front of her nose yet moving it whenever she attempted to bite it, "well, yes." Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink as she confirmed the suspicion.

Christine grinned, "That's cute," she finally popped the nugget of exotic fruit into her wife's mouth, beaming infectiously.

* * *

"Right, that's enough you lot! Quieten down and return to your seats." Nikki commanded with an assertive and sharp tone, risen above the noise levels of the students of the PRU as she paced across to her desk, worksheets tucked under her arm in a plastic wallet.

The rebellious adolescents had been tormenting the affluent Gabriella, propelling objects through the air and generally irritating her about her actions that had resulted in the resilience camp and education being cancelled. She deserved it yet it wasn't acceptable to allow her class to get away with it.

The no nonsense teacher began handing out the worksheets and explaining what their first lesson entitled. "Any questions?" She paused briefly, "Right, get on with your work quietly please. Let's see if we can have an event free lesson for once." Her features were still expressionless, but she hoped her stern and authoritative mood would prevent any brewing trouble. She returned to her desk, perching on her swivel chair and began marking.

Silence reverberated the background for a while, the teens quietly scribbling away at the work. The atmosphere was almost to muted for it to be true. It was too good to be true. Before long, Gabriella's boredom escalated and she rotated round in her chair, designer bag resting on her lap.

"Hey! Can I interest you in any of these?" She whispered, posh accent still prominent as she presented a handful of illegal vodka shots, "They're 25p each or 5 for £1, so any of you interested?" The slight hum from her class didn't bother the teacher; the students could never stay quiet for long. And the noise wasn't unbearable. Yet.

She was brave. Or perhaps stupid. Kacey couldn't decide. Selling illegal vodka shots in class; she concluded she was obtusely fearless. Especially in Ms Boston's lesson; the ex army sergeant captured no prisoners.

"I understand that you are still annoyed at me because of the resilience camp." Gabby sighed delicately, "But drink a couple of these and trust me, you'll be having more fun than you could ever have imagined having at that stupid camp." She smiled sweetly.

"Yeah, alright. I'm in." Darren reached across to snatch a couple but the Wark offspring shifted them from his reach.

"Ah ah, you have to pay first." She stated sincerely. She wasn't marginally concerned or worried about dealing dangerous shots in class; she had controlling knowledge in her defence.

Darren shoved his hand into his pocket and passed her a pound before grasping the shots and stuffing them in his bag. Harley and Rhiannon joined him. Kacey was more reluctant.

"Where'd ya get these from?" She inquired curiously, studying the packaging of one of Harley's. "They look proper dodgy, and it's not like you need the money anyway." They looked familiar. Too familiar for her liking, "Wait! Did _our_ Barry put you up to this?! He's always dealing this illegal shit." She narrowed her gaze and scrutinised the wealthy adolescent, "He did, didn't he?" She scoffed with a humourless laugh.

"Will you keep your voice down." Gabriella hissed with a spiteful glare, "Who cares if I got them from Barry or I'm helping someone sell them. I won't get caught."

"Oh yeah?" Kacey arced her eyebrow and smiled smugly as she noticed Miss Boston had regained her equilibrium and was heading straight in their direction.

"What's going on?" Nikki demanded, folding her arms tightly across her chest, "What's the distraction? Gabby get back to your own table." She instructed confidently, still trying to locate the origin of the distraction.

"Miss," The youngest Barry sibling began to speak, "Gabriella's selling dodgy vodka shots - probably on behalf of Barry." She scowled hostile with revenge at the blonde who matched her ominous glare back, horrified and exasperated that she had just been grassed.

The brunette frowned, "Is this true?" She inquired, diverting her austere glare to the rich teen, "I said is this true?" She bellowed subsequently to receiving no reply, stamping her dominative ability as she snatched the expensive handbag and peered inside, orbs widening in anger and dismay, "Come on, Mrs Mulgrew's office. NOW." She beckoned harshly but Gabriella refused to move.

The bell chimed, indicating that it was break time and the first morning lessons were over. The adolescents all departed promptly, excluding Gabriella who remained perched on her chair, smirking smugly.

"I have absolutely no idea why you are smirking because this is NOT funny." Nikki growled, "Now, come on. I'm not in the mood for this, Gabby. Get to Mrs Mulgrew's office and quit giving me anymore hassle!" She ordered bitterly, completely strict.

"I know." Gabriella spoke simply, "I know." Her well-spoken accent was becoming increasingly irritating with every smug, petty word she exhaled.

The former army captain rolled her eyes in shear frustration, "What do you_ know_?!" She snapped.

"I know that you're pregnant."


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: **Thanks for reading and reviewing :) not entirely sure where this is going as I have a few ideas but can't link them to save my life haha. So yeah, we'll see. I may even bring back an old character ;) also, for the purpose of some of my upcoming ideas, I'm changing it so Nikki's currently 12 weeks pregnant - I know it doesn't really fit but please go with it. I'd love to know what you think. xx_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 14

_'I know that you're pregnant.'_

Nikki froze; impermanently paralysed. Restricted by the brawny hands of fear and apprehension. Her breath was accumulating in the back of her throat, starving her lungs of oxygen. Heart beating with a rapid, pulsating thud against her chest. The coloured drained from her face at a frightening rate, leaving her naturally pale complexion a ghostly white.

"Wha...how?" She finally, with reluctance, exhaled the cumulated breath with a stutter, faltering over the most simplest words.

Her mumble was a feebly whisper, scarcely audible. Piercing azure orbs glared ominously; yet the anxieties and perplexity burned through with rage.

The affluent blonde's repulsive smirk remained, refined upon her features. With a slight jerk of her shoulders, she elaborated, "Last night. At the hospital. I was in the next cubicle to you and over heard everything."

The teacher could feel her legs becoming heavy, the muscles threatening to buckle beneath her as she allowed her desk to support the weight of her body. Her jumble of thoughts spiralled around her head, fuzzy and hazy. She couldn't think straight. The prospect of all the students knowing was daunting. She wasn't ready.

Shaking her head, the brunette hastily composed herself and rediscovered her professionalism, "Come on, to Mrs Mulgrew's office now. We'll let her decide your fate regarding those illegal shorts your selling." Despite her best efforts, her voice was squeakily quiet and slurred with vulnerability.

All that was really on her mind was Gabriella's confession.

The adolescent stalked to the door briskly, "No. There is no need for her to know about my little enterprise." She stated matter-of-factly, "Unless, of course, you are not bothered about you or your baby being hurt?"

"Are you threatening me?" Nikki retorted, her voice suddenly louder than before as she narrowed her gaze scrutinisingly, vaulting to her feet sharply.

"No, it's a promise." She spat sincerely, "Now listen to me. And listen carefully. I'm going to tell you exactly how this is going to work. You don't say anything about the shots and yourself and your unborn child will remain safe, however if you do choose to say something - which is obviously the wrong decision - then you know the consequences." The wealthy teen enlightened tactfully, studying her teacher intently.

The former army captain sighed bitterly, desperately racking her brains for a rational solution. And failing. She gave a frail nod and ran her tongue roughly over her suddenly dry lips, "I understand." She confirmed, "But, Gabriella, I can't let you continue selling those. They're dangerous! And I have a duty of care to every student at this school. Providing you stop selling them right now, then I won't breathe a word." She compromised tentatively hesitantly.

"I'm the one dictating the rules in this, not you." Gabriella abruptly reminded, eyes bubbling with scorn, "So where exactly am I going to get the money from that I will earn selling these, then?"

Nikki suppressed a humourless laugh with a scoff, "Why do _you _even need the money? You're the wealthiest kid in this school!"

The teenager pursed her lips together, "Who said the money was for me? Maybe I'm bored. Maybe there's something better than money in it for me. Maybe Kacey was right; maybe I am working for someone else. Gosh, if that daft bimbo can figure it out, than it should be easier for someone with your intelligence!"

The brunette thought for a moment; she did recall Kacey muttering something about Barry. Everything fitted together. "How much did you intend to earn from selling them all?" The nerves were shaking prominently in her Northern accent, tone low and raspy as her trembling fingers delved into her handbag.

"How much? How much is the stock worth? The profits?" She repeated, manner still jittery and lacking confidence, as she implored for a precise answer. Her fingers fumbled until they located her purse, grasping into a tight clench around the leather item.

"Fifty pounds."

Nikki flicked unsteadily through the notes in her purse, reluctantly handing over the full amount in three crisp notes, "There. You have the money, now give me the vodka shots, I won't say anything, and everyones happy." She murmured.

This method was wrong, and she knew it. It made her stomach churn violently.

Gabriella removed the stock from her bag and deposited them on her teacher's desk, stuffing the money into her bag. She gave a stern nod when asked if that was all the dodgy shots - although, it most probably wasn't.

They basked the muted atmosphere for a while. Until the brunette's wobbly voice reverberated the classroom, "A-are you going to tell everyone?" She faltered with a murmur, azure orbs flickering desperately around her surroundings in panic.

"Only if you do a little something for me." Her reply was instant, lips curving into another unnerving smirk.

Nikki dipped her head, staring at the floor and whispered, "What? What do you want?" She inquired, raking her slender fingers through her hair. She was impatiently fretful.

"A date with Mr Reid. Hector." The blonde smiled instantly, observing as the female's lips dropped into a forlorn scowl that was laced with fury and disbelief, "What? That isn't a problem is it, Nikki?" She was irritatingly patronising, "Unless you want everyone to know." She words danced off her tongue with spite.

"Fine." The brunette hissed, "I'll try." She mumbled as she paced over to the door and flung it open with her bottled resentment, gesturing for Gabriella to leave. She slammed the door shut and twisted the lock, then bundled the shots into the store cupboard and locked them away ready to dispose of later.

Elbows propped on the desk and her head buried in her hands, Nikki thought deeply about her reckless actions. Regret fill the pit of her stomach. She was stupid. Incredibly idiotic. But then she remembered about the threat - the blackmail - of hers and her baby's safety. Maybe she had done the correct thing. Given the circumstances, obviously.


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: **Thank you again for your lovely reviews and to anyone that read. I have no idea where this story is going, I've just got quite a few ideas that I'm gonna throw into this story, hope I can link them and hope that they work! If you have time, I'd love to know what you think. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this part! xx_

_Dreamer - it's okay to think that ;) I want something bad to happen to Gabriella too ;) maybe it will, maybe it won't ;) maybe something bad will happen to someone else ;) I haven't decided yet xD_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 15

Nikki's face was still concealed by her hands. Slender fingers rubbing her throbbing temples in a feeble attempt to reduce the dull, tedious ache. Her features were kindled with regret. She continued to reminiscence the events from less than a quarter of an hour ago with Gabriella. And the more she thought about it, the more the wretched remorse multiplied.

How could she have been so obtuse? Irrational and gullible. She should never have even contemplated handing the wealthy adolescent that cash. Yet, at the same time, she wasn't amenable to confide in her wild and irresponsible actions.

There was a tiny part of her that trembled with fear. She didn't trust Gabby. Or whoever her supplier was she was helping and protecting. She suspected Barry Barry. That was controlling her. And that was maintaining her silence.

She quickly began thinking of lies. Convincible dishonesty. The brunette comprehended that she would be totally useless at masking her apprehension - especially with this being rather serious, or at least that was how she considered it - so decided to blame other things for her forlorn distress.

Her clenched fist collided with her desk potently, generated a loud thud. An abrupt release of cumulating anger and rage. That spur of the moment judgement was definitely going to haunt her for some time.

The English teacher only snapped out of her intense trance when she heard someone banging on her classroom door. Christine. She jumped to her feet and darted across the classroom, flicking the lock on the door and tugging the door open. "Christine?" She attempted to maintain a calm and composed manner but there were still obvious hints of jitteriness.

The headmistress smiled kindly, "Hi, why's the door locked?" She inquired perplexedly, stepping into the room out of the way of the clusters of teens that reverberated the walls of the school.

"Yeah, uh..the lock, it's dodgy. Sorry. It's been playing up for a while. It must be bust." Nikki mumbled and jerked her shoulders, cursing mutedly for faltering over her words. She needed to sound convincing.

"Are you okay?" Compassion laced the blonde's tone, "It's unlike you not to be in the staffroom with a cuppa." She added a chuckle to the end and studied her wife intently.

The former army captain's lips twitched into a positive curve, a short spurt of muffled laughter escaping her lips, "Uh...I've had a busy morning. Pretty horrendous actually." She shrugged futilely and fiddled with her fingers anxiously, "My head's splitting, I just, uh, wanted some peace and quiet for an hour." She dropped back onto the chair behind her desk.

Christine nodded, an expression of sympathy refining her features, "Well, I bought you some fruit; exotic, of course." She deposited the packet of mango, pineapple, mellon and papaya onto the desk with a fork, "Who's been bothering you this morning? Maybe an afternoon in the cooler wouldn't do them any harm. Or I can find someone to cover the PRU this afternoon if you'd rather go home..."

"No." She cut her off sharply, "No. It's fine. I'll be fine. There's no need for any of that. It's nothing I couldn't handle." She clarified firmly, "Just the usual, Gabriella, Kacey, Rhiannon and Darren not wanting to do their work." She forced a fake smile and glanced up at her boss.

Her lover nodded with a friendly smile and perched on the edge of the desk, "Sorry I couldn't come sooner, I got caught up in a meeting with Lorraine. It over ran considerably."

Nikki frowned slightly. A mystified frown. "Lorraine? As in Lorraine Donnegan?" She stifled another blunt laugh.

The head teacher nodded, "Yes, Lorraine Donnegan." She verified and continued to elaborate on the former benefactress's reasons for her presence. Neither had seen her since their holiday in the Bahamas.

"As you are aware, the council are aiming to close down Waterloo Road and merge it with Havelock high?" She paused as the brunette gave a subtle nod, "Well, Lorraine has returned to re-obtain her role as benefactress and fund the school, so that way the council won't be able to shut us down."

The younger woman nodded again, running her tongue roughly over her lips momentarily, "The kids, they need this school. We can't let the council close us down."

"Exactly," Christine nodded, "Which is why this is the best option. You are okay with Lorraine coming back aren't you?" She endeavoured tentatively with knowing the history between her wife and the multi-millionaire.

"Yeah." She shrugged, "It's what's best for the school, isn't it?"

The blonde nodded, "Yeah. Anyway, I'll leave you in peace before your class return. Don't get too stressed, you know it's not good for you know what. And I'll see you when school finishes." She smiled as she regained her equilibrium and strode across to the door.

"I won't." The teacher promised, "And thanks for this." She gestured to the packet of fruit, tearing the plastic film carefully and grasping the fork. She wasn't hungry, her stomach was still doing somersaults. But she knew she had to eat; if not for her own sake, for the baby.

Thankfully, the afternoon went significantly smoother than the morning. All the students behaved themselves and got on with their work as instructed in moderate silence. The brunette loathed being trapped inside a classroom with Gabriella Wark, earlier events playing constantly on her mind. She realised that come Monday, after the weekend, she would have to approach the PE teacher and somehow arrange for him to meet the affluent adolescent.

The end of day bell chimed and the teenagers scraped their chairs against the carpet and clinked the legs against the metal legs of the table and filed out with their stuff, the chatter already starting to build. "Remember that your essays are due in on Monday, no excuses." She prompted firmly.

Nikki grabbed her handbag and jacket before flicking the light switches, exiting and locking the door to the PRU. Her sturdy heels clanked against the tacky, linoleum floor as she paced the corridors. The school was rapidly emptying as the adolescents filtered out the doors and across the playground.

The English teacher was heading for her wife's office when she halted abruptly, a commotion capturing her attention. A bunch of students had gathered at the bottom of the stairs, a couple of teachers amongst them, and were surrounding one particular teen who was laid on the floor, unconscious.

Squinting, she deciphered the kid to be Lenny Brown. Her attention was then diverted to Kacey forcefully dragging Gabriella up the stairs. Nikki shot into a vacant classroom, out of site and listened.

"Did you sell Lenny some of them dodgy shots?" The youngest Barry hissed, prodding the blonde harshly in the chest with her index finger.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Gabby stated matter-of-factly, expression holding no answers.

"You did didn't ya! How could you! Now look what you've done." She spat, briefly glancing to see if Lenny had regained consciousness.

"Look," The wealthy teen started, "I wouldn't say anything if I were you because I'll only blame Barry. And with what I know, I have enough knowledge that can get Barry to go down. You wouldn't want that would you? It might mean that your Mum would actually have to get a job. Either that, or I guess Dynasty could go work in one of them sleazy clubs." She shrugged.

Kacey went to smack the blonde around the face but a teacher had intervened, instructing them to go home before they got into anymore trouble.

Nikki emerged cautiously from the classroom. She could see that Christine was with Lenny. Knowing that she was hopeless at lying convincingly when under pressure, she silently walked down the corridor and paced down the other staircase and departed the school. When she was out of the school grounds, she broke into a hasty jog that soon quickened into a run and headed in the direction of the beach.


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: **This chapter ended up longer than I originally anticipated so I have therefore split it into two xD Slight reference to Bahamas in this chapter but it's nothing major, so don't worry if it doesn't make sense. Thank you for the reviews :D_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 16

Nikki's hands were clamped tightly around the cool metal railings that edged the pavement as a barrier to prevent anyone from falling over the steep side and plummeting onto the shingle beach. It was a harsh contrast to her clammy palms, her eyes were scrunched shut, cheeks flushed a dark shade of pink as her heart raced and she attempted to catch her breath.

Thoughts were still whirling through her head. She wondered if Lenny was okay, if they had deciphered what he had consumed. Had it escaped that she had known about the illegal shots, yet failed to take appropriate action.

She had neglected her role as a responsible teacher. Just because, for once in her entire life, she was selfish enough to put herself and initial feelings first. And by doing that, she had majorly screwed up.

The rain was lashing down at a heavy rate now. But the brunette didn't care. She had barely noticed. Her clothes were soaked through, chestnut-brown locks saturated and dripping with water droplets. She was shivering yet completely ignored it. The thin material of her blouse stuck to her icy skin - like it was fused - translucent with being so sodden.

The roar of a super car accelerating down the street was becoming louder, the horn repetitively beeping as it approached nearer. Nikki implied that she was oblivious, displaying no indication that she had heard.

The engine simmered down into nothing, the only noise was the droplets of rain pelting down against the pavement and bouncing back up again. The door slammed and the piercing click of heels stalked towards the teacher.

"Nikki?"

The brunette twisted round to face the person who had called her name, pirouetting sharply on her feet as she was hauled from her intensely bitter trance. Her mascara and dark eye make-up was smudged and had leaked down her cheeks in smears. "Lorraine?" She murmured quietly, identifying the petite blonde who was now stood in front of her beneath a designer umbrella.

The multi-millionaire's expression displayed kind empathy, "Why are you out here?" She asked perplexedly, "You're freezing, come on. Come get into my car and we can talk." Gracefully, she extended her slender arm and placed it on her former lover's arm.

Her teeth chattered together powerlessly as her whole body shuddered violently, "I've messed up. I've messed up big time." Her azure orbs flickered around anxiously before she buried her face in her hands to conceal the tears that were brimming in her remorseful eyes.

"I'm sure it's not that bad." The blonde comforted confidently, "Come back to mine so you can dry off and get warm otherwise you're gonna catch pneumonia or something!" Her thick Cockney accent was dominant, her stubborn personality exhibited. It wasn't an offer, it was an assertive order.

Nikki reluctantly nodded and slung her handbag over her shoulder, following the short distance to the benefactress's Ferrari and slipped onto the Italian leather seat. Lorraine hopped back into her vehicle and rotated the heater up to full before stamping her foot on the accelerator and driving back to her penthouse.

"You were always stubborn." The brunette mumbled and broke the silence as she continued to think.

Maybe telling someone the events of today would have a positive impact. Because bottling everything was just generated unneeded stress. She knew that Lorraine wouldn't do anything regarding her confessions nor reprimand her irrational stupidity - she wasn't so sure that Christine would react the same as her headmistress head was never really completely put away these days and influenced everything.

Lorraine exhaled a soft laugh at the former army captain's remark as she halted in her luxurious drive and pulled the handbrake on.

She gathered Nikki some dry clothes and a towel and left her to change whilst she opened a bottle of wine. Amongst the garments the younger female had handed her, there was one of her hoodies that had been abandoned there on the morning of their break up. It just triggered more emotions to add to the jumble of feelings she was already battling. The teacher was already loathing her hormones, they appeared to make everything trickier and more confusing than necessary.

The brunette appeared in the lounge a short while later and obediently perched on the edge of the plush couch when Lorraine motioned for her to and passed her a generous glass of white wine.

Nikki politely thanked her but sighed forlornly, "Lorraine, I shouldn't really have this." Timidly, she deposited the crystal glass onto the table.

She really wanted that wine. The alcohol would be guaranteed to numb her guilt and emotions. But the baby constantly played on her mind, reminding her to be sensible.

The blonde furrowed her brow in puzzlement, "Why?"

"Uh..I'm pregnant." The English teacher explained concisely in a whisper, dipping her head momentarily.

There was a moment of silence, Lorraine pondering upon a response. She nodded and swallowed a large mouthful of wine slowly, savouring the lavish flavour, "Congratulations, I guess. Who's the lucky fella then?" Her eyes twinkled blissfully yet there was a hint of hostility and jealously in her tone as she glanced at Nikki's stomach and then the wedding ring on her finger.

"She.." Nikki corrected quietly, "Uh, it's Christine. The baby was conceived through IVF."

"Christine?!" She exclaimed. It was quite a shock. She had half expected the marriage to be to another female, but not Christine Mulgrew, "Sorry, it's just-"

"No, no." The brunette dismissed her apology understandingly, "I get it, but don't judge her until you get to know her. She's been a great person to have around and a wonderful wife." She praised softly.

"So, you were together and married when I last saw you in the Bahamas then?"

"No." The former army captain shook her head, "What we told you in the Caribbean was the truth. We got married when we got back." She clarified simply, "What happened to Annabelle?"

"Oh, she left. Our marriage didn't last long." Lorraine jerked her shoulders futilely and the older woman noticed her hesitance and didn't bother inquiring for my precise details, "You know, Nik, one glass of wine occasionally won't harm the baby." Nikki was visibly stressed and tense about whatever had happened and she just wanted her to relax. The stress could have worse consequences than the alcohol on her pregnancy.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews :) this is the last part I have written in advance and haven't fully decided what will happen next so will update when I can! X_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 17

"So, what's happened? What makes you think you've messed up big time?" Now that her company was a little more calm, Lorraine chose to press for information.

She knew Nikki. The fact that Nikki was considerably stressed, anxious and loaded with regret, explained for itself that something pretty major had occurred and was bothering her. But never before had she been able to fault Nikki's work and professionalism; she was perfect at her role.

The brunette inhaled a sharp breath, fiddling with her fingers as a distraction, and the entire tale about how Gabriella was selling dodgy shots on behalf of Barry and then blackmailed into her keeping quiet by threatening the safety of herself and baby tumbled from her lips in an apprehensive ramble.

"You can't tell anyone, please." Nikki implored, the fear and desperation slurring her tone has her mortified eyes flickered continuously, "I realise how stupid and foolish I was and I deeply regret that Lenny Brown has ended up in hospital, but I just don't trust Barry."

"It's okay, Nik." The benefactress reassured and rested her hand tenderly on the older female's knee, "I'm not going to say anything. I understand why you reacted like you did."

"I won't let my personal thoughts cloud my professional judgement again." She promised, "It was just a irrational spur of the moment." Her clenched fist collided with the arm of the couch in frustration as she knew that she could have prevented the whole situation with Lenny.

Lorraine grasped the English teacher's scrunched up hands to avert her hurting herself in her spell of anger, "I know you're angry and blame yourself but there's nothing you can do now." As blunt as it sounded, it was true.

"Stop beating yourself up about it and accept that you did what you felt was right at the time. It's natural instincts to do whatever's gonna protect you and your baby." She instructed firmly and tried to soothe the situation.

"No one else needs to know and I'm sure Lenny is gonna make a full recovery. Soon I'm gonna be your new boss again, and I'm choosing not to reprimand you. Because I know it's not normal behaviour from you. Okay?"

Nikki nodded and allowed her eyes to engage with the blonde's, "Why are you even back, Lorraine?" It was a question she had been wondering since lunch, unsure totally why Lorraine Donnegan had chosen to reconsider her role as benefactress.

An easy smile graced Lorraine's lips and she polished off her glass of exquisite wine before answering, "I heard that the council were trying to shut the school down and merge the pupils with another local school. I did some research and the students at Waterloo Road are never gonna merge with the likes of Havelock. Not to mention the fact that the teachers at Waterloo Road are one offs. I'd rather make the school independent again then allow this to happen."

"But the reason you left last time was because you were financially funding the school indefinitely. Are you only coming back with a load of money for five or ten years? Are you gonna make it private and fee paying? I don't understand, Lorraine." The teacher queried as she tried to piece everything together.

"No," The blonde shook her head, softly curled locks bouncing on her shoulders, "I have a sponsor that will prove financial stability for the school for a long time."

The brunette nodded and a faint smile curled at her lips; she should have comprehended that the fiery female would have deciphered a plot in advance. The conversation continued to flow with ease - maybe that was the alcohol's influence - and Nikki found herself comfortable in her ex's company. It was strange.

"I've got great plans for the school, with spectacular visions and concepts! I can't wait to get back and start introducing them." Lorraine beamed infectiously, gratefully accepting the top up of wine from the older woman slumped on the sofa next to her, "I'll finally get the opportunity to accomplish what I intended to do in the first place without Michael interfering and suppressing my proposals."

Nikki listened attentively, fixed on the distraction that she was truly appreciative off. She was able to forgot about the entire drama regarding Gabriella and the dangerous shots; it was impermanent bliss. She could handle the whole thing with the arrogant adolescent demanding a date with Hector. That was simple.

"You and me, Nik. We are the ones that are gonna make this happen. Waterloo Road will be the best school in the country, parents will be coming from miles around to enrol their kids here!" The benefactress continued zealously, "I'm not gonna lie, there are gonna be changes that will be enforced pretty rapidly. I've got some new teachers lined up, they're fantastic. The kids are gonna get the finest education possible. And Nik, I want you as my head teacher."

The no nonsense teacher's eyes expanded dramatically, "What?! No, no. I can't be head teacher. I..I don't want that role." She faltered in a flustered ramble, raking her fingers through her tousled hair.

"Nik, you're the best one for that job..."

"I don't want it." She raised her voice marginally, stamping a firm and definite decision, "I'm not ready for that position. Even if I was, I couldn't do that to Christine. And now wouldn't be the right time, anyway. Not with my pregnancy. I'll be taking maternity and I doubt I'd handle the pressure."

The multi-millionaire rolled her sparkling orbs, "You'd be miles better than that ex-alcoholic maniac. She's a loose cannon!"

"She's also my wife!" Nikki's teeth were gritted, so hard that her jaw was beginning to ache and pulsate, "I won't let you talk about her like that. Not ever." She scolded bitterly and regained her equilibrium, slamming the empty wine glass on the table, "I should be going." She stalked towards the door.

"I'm sorry! What I said was out of order." The blonde leapt to her feet and apologised, "Wait!" The brunette paused and pirouetted round sharply, impatiently waiting for what else had to be said, although she was sure all that was needed had been spoken. But Lorraine simply inclined forward and pressed her hot pink lipsticked lips against the older female's lips.

A hot, sizzling kiss. Tenderly smooth lips. Tasty strawberry lipstick. The teacher found herself responding to the kiss with equal passion momentarily. And then she vaulted away promptly, repulsion succumbing her features. Yet that smoking, pulsating sensation was still very much present.

"That should never have happened. I'm sorry, Lorraine. I'm married and I love my wife very much. I have to go." Nikki didn't wait for a reply as she darted out the door and hurried home, leaving the blonde speechless and dazed at what had just happened.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: **Waterloo Road ends tonight D: *sobs* after a whole 9 years :'( I was procrastinating studying and this was the outcome, another update! Lorraine will return in a couple of updates time I think, she's only here to cause a bit of drama because that's what makes it more interesting! - I had ideas but struggle to link them so sorry if these next updates are a bit jumpy! Hope you like this part and thank you for the reviews, I love reading them xxx_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 18

"Nik!? Is that you? Where have you been?" The instance Nikki had unlocked the front door and stepped inside she was greeted by flustered calls from her wife who promptly appeared out of the living room clutching her mobile phone tightly.

"Where have you been? Are you okay? I've been worried sick!" Christine continued to ramble in her panic and zealously hurled her arms around her lover and pulling her securely into her embrace, "Wait. You weren't wearing that earlier. Have you been at the gym or something?" She frowned perplexedly, combined with concern, as she realised Nikki wasn't wearing the tailored trousers, shirt and blazer she had last seen her sporting.

"I'm fine, please stop fussing." The brunette requested coolly, battling to maintain a level and normal tone as the cumbersome guilt from the kiss with Lorraine remained prominent in her mind, lips still pulsating pungently, "And no, I haven't been to the gym - I told you I would stop so I didn't compromise our baby's health from overly exercising. Lorraine text me, asking me to go meet up with her to discuss the PRU and future plans and stuff. It started pouring down while I was walking to hers and I got soaked so changed into my gym kit that I keep spare for when I have to do PE cover." She explained, hoping that her dishonesty was convincing enough.

"I came to your office before I left to tell you, but you weren't there." The former army captain continued, "I would have messaged you but my phone battery is dead." She sighed delicately, "I'm sorry."

The older female nodded understandingly, satisfied with her partner's description, "You have nothing to be sorry for." She pecked her silky lips tenderly, "I wasn't in my office because there was an incident regarding Lenny Brown; he collapsed for no obvious reason and didn't regain consciousness. I was dealing with that and the ambulance."

The English teacher chose not to admit that she actually perceived there was some incident revolving around Lenny, "Is he okay? Do they know what caused it?" She inquired sadly, still feeling incredibly remorseful and responsible because she could have prevented all of this. Yet she couldn't bring herself to confide the truth.

"Maggie said that he has now regained consciousness and the doctors are trying to decipher what caused it. It's a mystery at the moment. But they suspect he took something. I don't know why he would, though, he's always been such a well-behaved and disciplined lad." The blonde shrugged as she padded through into the kitchen and flicked the kettle on, grasping two mugs and depositing a PG tips tea bag into each.

Nikki followed and shuffled onto one of the stools that were lined against the island in the kitchen, allowing for her cherished cat to jump onto her knee to be stroked, "It's so unlike Lenny." She agreed.

~\~\~\~\~

_(The next day...)_

Nursing a scorching brew in her hands, steam visibly evaporating into the atmosphere, Nikki casually ambled towards Hector in the corner of the staffroom whilst it was relatively vacant.

"Miss Boston," He grinned cheerily, this had been the first time since their kiss at the resilience camp that she had actually approached him and he wasn't going to miss the opportunity, "What can I do for you?" His charming manner was sickly, the brunette was already feeling exceptionally uncomfortable in his presence.

"Uh..do you fancy going for a drink tonight?" She murmured, briefly glancing round the staffroom before awkwardly locking her azure gaze with his seductive eyes and stomach churning beam and charisma.

"Well I'm really going to say no to that aren't I? Of course I will! Wouldn't miss it for the world." The PE teacher smiled zealously, "Are you finally coming round to my charm?" He was hopefully desperate, "Looking for more than that kiss?"

"Maybe." Nikki jerked her shoulders in approximation of a shrug, cautiously engulfing a petite sip of the roasting liquid in her mug, "So, that new cocktail bar in town? Say, about half seven tonight?" She suggested.

"Sounds great!" Hector beamed, "I look forward to it, but you shouldn't really be drinking cocktails with the, well you know..."

"The baby, Hector. You can say it you know." The English teacher muttered and rolled her orbs, "And they do sell soft drinks such as lemonade, so I will be more than fine."

"It's a shame really. Cocktails would really spice things up." He exhaled a miserable sigh, "Where will Christine think you are? We wouldn't want you to get into trouble now."

"Don't push your luck." Nikki hissed ominously, "Don't worry about Christine, I've got it covered." She shuffled away from her colleague when her wife entered the staffroom that had rapidly filled up with teachers during her conversation with Hector.

"Good morning!" The headmistress's Scottish accent was thick and she fleetingly shot a worried look at her partner subsequently to observing her with the male, "As I'm sure you are all aware, Lenny Brown was rushed into hospital yesterday at the end of school. He is doing fine and should make a full recovery but he has confessed to drinking some illegal vodka shots. Now we are presuming that somebody within the school gave them to him. We need to identify that culprit or culprits are quickly as possible before anyone else consumes them. They are highly dangerous. If any of you know, or even suspect, anything then don't hesitate in coming to see me. That is the only announcement for today, have a good everyone." She dismissed the teachers and hurried across to her wife.

"Are you okay? Has _he_ been bothering you?" The blonde's teeth were gritted, she loathed Hector and refused to mention his name.

The brunette nodded simply, "I'm okay, it was nothing really. He just wanted to know if I would cover one of the year 12's PE theory." She shrugged futilely, "That's all."

Christine nodded contently, "Okay, but if he does start giving you hassle I want to know."

"You'll be first to know." Nikki promised, "I've got a lesson to get to, I'll see you later." She forced a soft smile and then departed the staffroom and paced towards the PRU.


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews :D sorry this is short, had no idea what else to write :c Nikki will confess everything to Christine eventually but there are some other things that are going to happen first! Hope you like this part :)_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 19

"Gabriella, can I have a word please." Nikki requested coolly as she tightened her grip on the edge of the mechanised door she held open as the rest of the PRU students funnelled out of the classroom for break. When everybody else had departed, she tentatively clicked the door shut and paced apprehensively to her desk were she perched on the edge.

"I also would like a word with you, as you put it." The blonde's posh accent was prominent as she folded her arms across her chest, almost impatiently. Subsequently to the teacher nodding and gesturing curiously, she elaborated what she desired to inform.

"Everyone is talking about the vodka shots that Lenny consumed which resulted in him ending up in hospital. I trust that you haven't said anything?" Her scornful gaze was narrowed scrutinising, tone violently patronising as she virtually implied that the brunette would have grassed.

The brunette scowled irritably at practically being accused, "I haven't said anything. Although, I probably should. I haven't and I won't." She announced in a disdained murmur, "But just because I won't say anything isn't necessarily going to stop any of the other kids you sold them to speaking! You can't hold me responsible for that."

"Oh, but I do and will." Gabriella growled ominously, "And if I find out that you have said something then you will be the one responsible for anything that happens to you or your baby. Because that would be rather unfortunate, wouldn't it?" She was bubbling with spite, arrogance pungent as she smirked smugly.

The former army captain's right had clasped firmly round the edge of the desk, her left hand shifting to rest subconsciously on her stomach, "I understand." She confirmed with a sharp swallow, shaking her head slightly to brush her fringe from her stunned orbs that darted around anxiously.

"I spoke to Mr Reid, Hector. And you are going to meet him at the Caribbean Cocktail Bar in town at seven-thirty tonight." Nikki revealed quietly and she regained her equilibrium and padded round to the other side of her desk to collect her handbag.

"What if I've made plans?" The adolescent retorted ungratefully, "It's rather short notice."

The brunette rolled her azure orbs in frustration, "Well unmake them then!" She hissed, "Look, you asked me to get you a date with Hector and I have, so quit making this more difficult then it needs to be!" She stamped her assertive personality harshly, bubbling with bitterness.

"Well, if this is the only chance I am going to get then I guess I shall just have to take it." The wealthy teen concluded as she flung her designer handbag of her arm stylishly and stalked out of the classroom without another word.

Exhaling an exasperated sigh, the female raked her fingers through her hair and allowed herself a few moments to calm down and regain composure. She loathed the arrogant girl who was set on making her life hell. Gabriella frustrated her deeply yet there was absolutely nothing she could do about it unless she wanted the consequences. And frankly that was worse.

~\~\~\~

Subsequently to exchanging her work attire for some comfy pyjamas and and over-sized hoodie, Nikki was curled up on the sofa snuggled into her wife beneath a fluffy blanket as they watched trashy television programmes. The brunette wasn't really paying that much attention, engulfed in her own thoughts, yet being in Christine's secure embrace made her relax. Her phone was switched off and abandoned in her handbag out of the way; she comprehended that Hector would be desperately trying to contact her because she had bluntly stood him up.

Hector was perched on a pew in the bar, swigging impatiently at his pint of beer occasionally. He was early; only because he knew exactly how punctual the former army captain was and he didn't want to be the one who was late. The clock continued to tick, minute after minute past. Half past seven came and then promptly left.

"Fancy seeing you here, Mr Reid!" The classy voice of Gabriella Wark reverberated the atmosphere and she paced across to the PE teacher, angelic blonde curls bouncing with every piercing click of her designer stilettos against the wooden floor of the bar.

He sighed sharply, "What are you doing here? You are not eighteen."

She jerked her shoulders in the approximation of a shrug, "They don't know that, though, do they? Do you seriously think I look under eighteen?" A stylish black dress hugged her petite frame and fell to just above her knee. She had applied make-up; natural yet enhancing. Her ruby red lipstick corresponded with her heels.

"That's not the point is it? I know you are only seventeen." The male stated sincerely as he brushed the sleeve of his shirt up a little and glanced at his watch then scanned the cocktail bar in hope to locate Nikki. But she wasn't there. "You should be going."

"Why? Are you waiting for someone? Worried that I'll be prettier than her? I can't just leave you on your own now can I?" A smirk graced her shimmering lips as she ordered herself a beverage and the PE teacher another pint, adding it to her Daddy's credit card. "What time was she due then?"

"Half past seven. She'll be here any minute, I'm sure." Hector mumbled yet politely thanked her for the beer.

"Darling, it's three minutes past eight. I doubt she's coming." The blonde adolescent twirled a lock of hair between her fingers, "But it's okay, I'll keep you company." She smiled sweetly.

"No you won't. You have to stop this Gabby! These insane fantasises you have of you and me are never going to happen! I'm not interested in some stalker school girl!" He stamped his authority firmly before striding out of the bar and down the road, attempting to ring Nikki. But it just went to voicemail. Exhaling a forlorn sigh, he figured she wasn't coming. He had been stood up.

Gabriella frowned bitterly as she perceived her crush depart. That only triggered more spite. And she was already planning her next move.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: **Again, thanks for reading and reviewing:3 I'll try and write a more fluffy chapter next but I don't have any fluffy ideas so D: this update is a take on S10E3 (I think it's that episode anyway, could be ep 4, I can't remember xD)._

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 20

"You are staying at home today, no buts!" Christine declared strictly, reinforced with a pointed finger, as she placed a mug of steamy herbal tea on the coaster on her wife's bedside table. It wasn't up for discussion.

The brunette yanked the covers up to her chin, "But who's going to cover my classes? Christine, I'll be fine. Really. It's Friday, then I'll spend the weekend resting. It's just morning sickness." She insisted stubbornly.

"Don't worry about that." She stated sincerely, firmly resting her hand on her wife's knee on top of the covers, "You have had barely any sleep, and it's been broken sleep at that. You are going to spend today resting, I don't want you working yourself to the point of exhaustion, especially with our little bundle of joy." Her Scottish accent was thick and Nikki realised that this was an argument she wouldn't triumph.

"Fine." The former army captain huffed reluctantly. Although there were positives; she didn't have to encounter Hector, or Gabriella, now for another two days. But confidentially, she comprehended that they were partially responsible for her acute morning sickness. The potent stress she was suffering was because of her own dishonesty due to Gabriella, and the PE teacher made her stomach violently churn anyway.

The headmistress pressed her lips to her partner's momentarily, "I'll have to go so I'll see you later. Text or ring me if you need anything." She smiled kindly and regained her equilibrium, grabbing her suit jacket and departing the room, padding down the stairs and collecting the rest of her possessions she required for that day.

Nikki spent the day catching up on sleep - while she was sleep she was able to temporarily forget about all of the problems she was entangled in the midst of - and completed some of the outstanding house chores before involuntarily retreating to watching the awful daytime television programmes.

The school day passed with minimal complications for Christine, excluding an altercation with Hector as he demanded to know where the brunette was because she was supposed to be covering as class which he then had to take himself. And she was still trying to solve the mystery regarding Lenny Brown.

Gabriella had been furious to discover that Miss Boston wasn't at work and that just provoked more spite which resulted in her revealing her next plan. Through word of mouth, she invited the majority of her year to her house for an exclusive party, and that was when she aimed to disclose Nikki's pregnancy.

~\~\~\~

The ringtone of Nikki's mobile phone reverberated the silence as the married couple snuggled together watching a film beneath a fluffy blanket. The brunette curled her fingers around her phone and squinted at the luminous screen, frowning perplexedly.

"Who's that?" The blonde inquired curiously as she perceived the baffled expression on the younger female's features.

"Kacey..." She announced shortly and clicked the answer button, "Hello? Kace, calm down and start from the beginning. Okay, okay, I'll be there as quick as I can!" She ended the call and leapt to her feet, "We need to get to Gabriella Wark's house, now. There's some sort of party but it ended with Gabby falling into the swimming pool and she's hit her head." She instructed promptly with a shrug as she dashed to locate a jacket and some shoes.

"Well, I'm coming with you. And I'll drive, have you got an address?" Christine slipped her feet into her shoes and grabbed her car keys. The pair hurried into the head teacher's car and the English teacher directed her to the Wark's home.

"I don't mean to sound like I'm interfering, but why does Kacey even have your telephone number? It's not exactly appropriate." The older woman endeavoured inquisitively, finding it rather peculiar as she stamped on the accelerator.

"It was from when I was training her with her boxing." She explained simply, "But I didn't realise she still had it. I'll worry about that at a later date." She jerked her shoulders and the remainder of the journey was completed in an apprehensive silence.

When they arrived at the abundant house the two adults rushed inside and were greeted by shivering Kacey enveloped in a crisp white towel who virtually tugged them into one of the living rooms to where the influx of people had fled and the affluent blonde was.

"Are you okay, Gabriella?" The former army captain endeavoured with a concerned manner, for the moment she had temporarily brushed aside the secret conflicts that were transpiring between the pair as she did have a duty of care towards the student.

The classy adolescent was a clutching a tiny teddy bear, her grip so tight her knuckles were white from the lack of blood circulation, "I'm fine. I just want everyone out." Her teeth were gritted together, jaw clenched compactly.

"She is now, Miss! Kacey saved her!" A voice piped up that belonged to the opinionated red head from the pupil referral unit.

"She banged her head, Miss." The youngest Barry sibling added quietly.

"Okay, everyone excluding Gabriella and Kacey, out now." Nikki demanded with authority as she ushered them out of the room and into the spacious entrance of the house. From the little she had perceived, the house was absolutely trashed, "No, no, no. Where do you think you are going?!" She raised her voice slightly and narrowed her gaze, "You can help get this place tidy again, that includes the whole lot of you!"

The brunette then stepped back into the room, "You should probably try and contact her parents and she should really go and get checked over at the hospital. I'm going to go speak to Kacey and find out what the hell is going on." She murmured and gestured for the aspiring boxer to join her outside, "Right, care to give me a more detail explanation as what is happening here tonight?"

Kacey exhaled a short sigh, "Gabriella was inviting people over to hers at school today for a party and claiming to reveal a secret - well she did reveal a secret but that's not important right now - but then Darren, Rhiannon, Lisa, Dynasty and Shaznay started trashing the place as revenge for the resilience camp being cancelled. That's when Gabriella slipped." She disclosed, "But I think you should come look at this."

The teenager began to mount the grand staircase that spiralled, followed sharply by her teacher, and they entered a room that was by far the most wrecked. The feather pillows had exploded across the room, the bed and little, wooden desk upended and there were toys scattered across the floor in a disorderly clutter.

"This is Gabriella's late sister's room." Kacey clarified in a forlorn murmur to which the no nonsense teacher nodded in acknowledgement. "Uh Miss, look I don't wanna panic you or anything but the reason she had this party was to tell everyone that you're pregnant..."

The colour drained from Nikki's face and she faltered before recovering promptly, "That's no one else's business except mine. And the others will be severely dealt with at school on Monday. Why don't you go find yourself some dry clothes." She stated matter-of-factly though her voice was flat and her azure orbs were twinkling anxiously. Raking her fingers through her tousled hair, she paced down the stairs. This was all she needed.


	21. Chapter 21

**_A/N: _**_Firstly, thank you for the reviews. I am so sorry for taking ages to update - again. Been really busy and I attend to concentrate on my fics for another fandom as more people are reading them. This is sorta a fluffy-ish update - as fluffy as it's gonna get for now. More drama is on it's way in the next chapter. Hope you like this instalment!_

_P.S - How cute is it that Heather Peace and her wife, Ellie, are expecting a baby?! It's so exciting!_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 21

"So, have we actually decided what colour we are going to paint the nursery?" Christine inquired inquisitively as they entered the DIY store and immediately began hunting down the paint isles.

That morning the conclusion to go out and purchase some paint for the baby's room had been a spur of the moment decision. The brunette still have five and a half months to go before their child's due date. But Nikki being the super organised woman that she was desired to be punctual and have everything prepared well in advance - Eve had been born premature and they had left everything until last minute resorting in the nursery being incomplete at her daughter's arrival.

"No, not yet." The stern teacher wandered in front of her wife as she had already calculated where the paints were and began leading them to that location, "But I think it should be a bright and relatively neutral colour." She jerked her shoulders slightly and halted in the isle and scanned the immense diversity of paints in every colour imaginable.

"What about this colour?" The headmistress's Scottish accent was thick as she pointed out a pale, sugar pink can.

Raising her eyebrow into a sharp arc of objection, "No. Our baby is not having a pink nursery. And anyway, we don't even know for definite that we are having a little girl." She stated matter-of-factly.

With a forlorn pout, the blonde promptly responded, "Well, if we can't have pink because we don't know for definite that it is a girl, then we can't have blue either as we can't guarantee it'll be a boy. But I am telling you that it will be a girl, I just have a feeling!"

"I didn't want blue anyway. It's too much of a cold colour." She retorted and poked her tongue out proudly with a smirk as her partner huffed.

Together, they studied all the colours, trying to decipher which one would be suitable for their imminent baby's room. "Yellow?"

Shaking her head, Nikki dismissed that colour as well, "As much as it is bright and supposedly cheery - like sunshine - it is a colour that I detest hugely. It's vile and there is nothing more to say."

They leisurely fought their way through many more colours until there were only two colours left. Green and purple. And they had to choose one of those. "Well I don't mind either of them. They are both fresh and bright and airy." The brunette concluded as her hand hovered above her stomach subconsciously.

Puckering her eyebrow, a smirk graced the head teacher's lips, "Purple? If the baby is a little boy than I doubt that he is going to be appreciative of a purple room. Does this mean you are secretly confessing to the fact that you believe that we are probably going to have a baby girl?" She prodded eagerly.

Dipping her head momentarily, chestnut locks falling over her face to conceal her cheeks which were glowingly blushing, she composed herself and grasped the tin of pale green paint, "Nope. I am not admitting anything. So therefore, we are having this colour."

"You are _so_ stubborn, Boston."

~\~\~\~

The married couple returned home with the can of paint in the chosen colour and changed into some old clothes before starting to apply the thick paint onto the walls. The ambience in the nursery was muted, Nikki was gratefully using the chore as a distraction to her engulfing thoughts in her head as her concentration flashed to the detail that now the entire school was aware of her pregnancy. And she had to face them all on Monday. In less than forty-eight hours. Frighteningly soon.

Christine had confidentially been perceiving her wife for a matter of minutes now. The former army captain was locked into a solid pattern of repetition. But as she studied more intently, the petrified ache in her azure orbs glistened visibly, fear was plastered across her expression and evidently lost in deep thought. "Nik?"

"Nikki?"

Still no response. Which was alarmingly concerning. She padded across the dust sheets that had been tossed onto the carpet to protect it against any possible spillages and tapped her paint brush against the tip of her lover's nose.

The English teacher jerked with a start and scowled, "What was that for?" She wiped at the paint on her nose end bur failed to remove it, instead simply smudging it. In return she flicked a sprinkling of paint over the older female's face, leaving speckled dots on her skin and blonde locks. Smirking, she was pleased with her retaliation.

"Hey!" The blonde pouted before composing a sincere expression, "Are you okay? Nik, I'm being serious. I tried calling your name to get your attention but you didn't answer. It was like you were in your own little bubble."

With a petite nod, Nikki pursed her lips and clasped her fingers together into clenched fists and imposed a weak smile, "I'm fine, Christine. Don't worry about me."

"I don't believe you." Her words were tenderly soft, orbs laced with worry and compassion, "I do worry about you. And if something is bothering you, then I would like to think that there is enough trust between us for you to tell me. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved. And as cliche as it sounds, it's true!" She was smiling with empathy but the sadness in her eyes remained prominent.

Stifling a spirited laugh fleetingly, she paused and basked the silence uneasily for a while. How did Christine know her so well? She loathed how perceptible her vulnerability currently was. She never - _ever_ \- displayed any single sign of weakness. Her defensive, opaque barrier had disintegrated into dust. "Why do you know me so well?" She uttered as she raked her fingers through her tousled hair.

Jerking her shoulders in the approximation of a shrug, the blonde descended to the floor and gently patted the space to her left, "I can see the jitteriness in your eyes, your muscles are tense and then you are just trying to submerge yourself in an activity to stop you thinking. Our situations are not the same - not that I know what yours actually is but I'm certain that you are not an alcoholic - but I know what it is like to just throw yourself into some form of work. Talk to me, Nik."

Reluctantly, Nikki allowed herself to plummet limply to the floor and it felt some what comforting when her wife enveloped her arm around her waste. She didn't know where to start. She didn't actually know what she wanted to confide and what needed to remain a secret. The threat had to be kept confidential, that was evident. Christine didn't push for answers which she was thankful of and they just sat in silence until she was ready to talk.

Inhaling a deep, lengthy breath, the PRU teacher's lips parted and she began to speak after a tiny falter, "Uh..all the kids are gonna know that I'm pregnant on Monday." She murmured, barely audible, "That was the whole reason and driving force behind Gabriella's party. She somehow found out and proceeded to tell everyone. Kacey told me." Exhaling an exasperated sigh at why she was so flustered over something so trivial, she dug her nails into the palms of her hands, creating little crescent shapes.

Tightening her embrace on her best friend, she attempted to offer some sense of soothing, "As blunt as this is going to sound, they were gonna find out sooner or later." Her Scottish accent was thick yet kind.

"I know, but as silly as I may be at the moment, I'm not ready for them all to know and the comments and remarks I'm going to receive. It scares me, okay?"

"I understand that it's daunting, I do, darling." Christine said softly, "But within a couple of days everyone will have forgotten and moved onto the next gossip. You know what kids are like these days." She tried to offer some enlightening support but wasn't completely sure it was working.

"I hope you're right." The brunette sighed as she accept the tabby feline to come sit on her knee for a cuddle.


	22. Chapter 22

Born To Fly - Part 22

Nikki stood blearily at the counter in the staffroom kitchenette swirling a spoon repeatedly around the mug of herbal tea as she stared vacantly into thin air, evidently lost in immersed thoughts once again.

"You're gonna break that mug if you don't stop stirring the contents." Came a rich, masculine voice, chuckling to himself as he peered up from his marking. A friendly face that could always offer some appropriate advice and she could rely on; Tom.

That snapped the English teacher from her trance, "Sorry?" Her voice was a feeble murmur as she looked blankly at him momentarily before dropping her head to perceive the beverage she was mixing. Something suddenly clicked, "Oh." She sighed, depositing the teaspoon into the sink and raised the mug into her hands, pivoting to go sit down.

"Ah, Miss Boston. Just the person I wanted to see. I think you and me need to have a little chat." The voice was identifiable without a glimpse at the human speaking. Hector. His manner was gruff, obviously marginally infuriated, yet he maintained his sweet charm as he blocked the female's path and folded his arms.

Without a single word hovering from her lips, Nikki ominously glared at the PE teacher and brushed past him, striding to a material chair in the corner and allowing herself to limply sink into the soft fabric and savour her hot drink. Her stomach was twisted in clenched knots, churning violently. She was dreading the remarks regarding her pregnancy and was certainly not in the mood for Hector's whining lecture about how she had stood him up.

Echoing clicks of confident heels entered the staffroom and the sophisticated woman that sported them began to articulate promptly, "Right, hello everyone." With a broad, cheery smile, her eyes scanned the staffroom, "Are we all here? No. Where's Christine?"

All faces swiftly rotated round to the brunette in corner who sighed exasperatedly, clarifying that the female in question was in her office. Slamming her mug onto the table, she hauled herself to her feet and paced out to get her subsequently to no one displaying any indications that they intended to do so. The pair soon returned a minute or so later, perching against the unit along the side.

"I'm sure that most of you already know who I am as I can see quite a few - well, a lot - of familiar faces but for those who I don't recognise, my name is Lorraine Donnegan. I was previously the benefactress for this school and I am the original founder. I heard about the council wanting to shut the school and merge the kids with Havelock but after some research, those kids aren't gonna stand a chance there! And, of course, the teachers at Waterloo Road are a one off. So, after a lot of deliberation, I am going to resume my status as benefactress and fund the school." She announced, her rich Cockney accent thick as she flicked her angelic curls over her shoulder.

In response came a few joyful cheers that school would remain open and careers were safe. But they were combined with murmurs of perplexity and Tom was the first to inquiry the question that was of greatest concern, "But, Lorraine, if you don't mind me saying, the reason you left before was because you couldn't afford the bills and created an indefinite future for the school. How long have we got now before you swan off again or go against all our morals and make this a fee paying school?"

"I'm back for good this time." The wealthy blonde confirmed, "And the school will not turn fee paying. I've located a couple of zealous sponsors who are very interested in this adventure. It's concrete foundation for this school, which is exactly what we need. I wouldn't have returned if I couldn't offer just that."

That seemed to settle apprehensive worried and the bell chimed signalling that it was time for registration and lessons to begin. The multi-millionaire tottered towards Nikki who had grabbed her mug and proceeded to rinse it at the sink whilst everyone else flooded out the staffroom for registration. "Nik..."

"Don't, Lorraine." The brunette sharply cut her off, completely emotionless, "I have a lesson to get to." She placed the washed mug on the draining board, dried her hands on the towel and marched out towards the PRU. She attained a assertive and poised posture as sniggers and comments regarding her pregnancy engulfed her ears. None of which she answered.

"Miss! Did Mr Reid knock you up?" Darren endeavoured the moment his teacher walked through the classroom door.

"How far gone are you?" Lula inquired.

Rhiannon's question followed, "Are ya having a girl or boy?"

"Why don't all of yous just shut up! It's nothing to do with us. It's Miss Boston's business, not ours! So let's just get on with the lesson!" Kacey exclaimed as she shot up from her seat and thumped her fist against the desk with a thud.

"That's enough, all of you! Thank you for that Kacey, but now please return to your seat. But Miss Barry is right, it is absolutely none of your business. So if you are all quite finished we have a lesson to be getting on with." The former army captain's tone was blunt, authoritative. And she shuffled to the correct side of her desk to start the register.

Luckily for Nikki, after a couple inappropriate notes about her baby, the rest of the lesson passed by relatively smoothly. The students filed out of her class when the bell rung, leaving her with a free period yo catch up on some marking. Or at least that were intentions until she received a text from Sonya stating that their was a visitor for her.


	23. Chapter 23

Born to Fly - Part 23

Nikki exited the PRU and efficiently checked that she had locked the door. She paced the vacant corridors with an assertive march and navigated her way towards Christine's office, perplexed with who her visitor could be.

"Sonya?" An inquisitive smile graced her features as she entered the secretary's sanction and subconsciously tucked her hands into her pockets of her smart jeans.

"Nikki!" The younger brunette beamed, "It's this young lady over here." She pointed in the direction of the teenaged girl that was perched anxiously on one of the chairs lined along the back wall.

The teacher nodded simply, although she remained bemused to who this girl was and why she wanted to specifically speak to her. She was nothing special, just another ordinary teacher. She didn't recognise the girl and she identified that she wasn't a student at the school judging by the fact she sported a casual attire rather than a compulsory uniform. "Hi, are you new?"

The girl nervously regained her equilibrium and flashed a small smile, fingers interlaced and twisting together, "Uhm, not really. Well, sorta..." She paused momentarily, lost in a daydream that she was actually speaking to her mother, "It's me...it's-" she faltered faintly and sucked in a sharp breath, "it's _Eve_."

Her entire frame trembled with shudders as she shakily stepped back before freezing to the spot. The colour briskly drained from Nikki's face; a shade of ghostly white replaced her usual perky complexion. Breath accumulated in the back of her throat, she choked on her words. Her lips parted but she couldn't stutter a single word. The dominant feeling of shock had temporarily paralysed her body.

"What?" She uttered with a gasp, a barely audible whisper as she tried to control her jittery heart beat and grant her starved lungs oxygen, "It can't be-" a hand raked through her sleek bob, "you..your not supposed to _know _about me." Her feet were retreating towards the door hastily. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to be with you." Eve clarified quietly, "Dad's away on business - _again_. I hate him, he can stay abroad and never come back, for all I care. He told me you were dead! For seventeen years, I've believed that my own mother was dead when actually she's alive and healthy! Gran told me; she's really not well and wanted me to know. I _deserve_ to know." She edged closer to her mother cautiously.

"No," The former army captain murmured beneath her breath, "this can't be happening." She scrunched azure orbs shut, masking the pure fear, repulsion and misery that glimmered innocently. Her eyes fluttered open and she departed in a dash, sprinting through the corridors. Lorraine and Hector attempted to stop her but she kept running. She left her daughter screeching '_Mum_!' in a fluster. Outside, by the school gates, she halted to catch her breath. Her head was a jumble; a chaotic clutter of thoughts. And a car was zooming towards the school.

Christine emerged from her office, irritated that her peace had been interrupted while she tried to complete mounting paperwork, "What's going on out here?" She demanded, eyes flickering from her secretory and the girl who had snatched her attention with her shouting, "And who an earth are _you_?"

The teen pirouetted round sharply, "Eve."

"She's Nikki's daughter!" Sonya blurted out in additional before had hand shot to her mouth as she realised she had forgotten Christine and Nikki's personal relationship. Well done, Son, you have well and truly put your foot in it this time.

"Right, okay." The headmistress nodded as she digested the information and racked her brains to remember the conversation with her wife regarding Eve, and what the agreement had been. She peered round the door to the corridor, glancing both ways. But there was no sign of her partner, "Okay, Eve. Are you here to enrol?"

Eve twitched her shoulders in the approximation of a shrug, "I don't get it? I thought Mum would be happy to see me! Dad stopped us from seeing each other - I hate him so much! He has ruined our lives! I need to find her." Her fingers curled into first as she vaulted towards the mechanised door.

"No, wait." The blonde darted in front of the seventeen-year-old, "Give her some time to let all this sink in. It's a big thing, you know. You haven't seen one another in what? About seventeen years?" As the girl nodded, Christine continued, "It's bound to be quite a shock, don't you think? Come into my office. I've got a good pair of ears if you want to talk, _or rant._" She guided the girl into her office and gestured for her to sit down before requesting two teas from Sonya.


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N: **I am such a rubbish updater, I am truly sorry. I keep getting random urges to write for this fic and I do aim to complete it eventually. Since there aren't really many Nikki fans about in the WR fandom anymore, I chose to concentrate on another fandom. Thank you for the reviews and those who are sticking with the story. I do know where this is going but lack inspiration to actually write it!_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 24

Eve's fingers swirled the edge of the plain mug that contained steamy hot chocolate, dark and rich. "I don't get it. Why isn't she happy to see me? Why has she just run off? What did she mean when she said '_you're not supposed to know about me_'? I don't understand." She shuffled agitatedly on her chair whilst rambling perplexedly.

The headmistress exhaled a lengthy sigh, running the tip of her tongue roughly over her dry lips, "I don't really know." She did know, she wasn't convincing at claiming she did not, "Maybe there's more to it than meets the eye. You haven't heard Nikki's side of the story. This could be a big thing for her."

The adolescent wasn't converted at all, apprehension failing to settle, "That's why I need to go find her. I need answers." She jerked to her feet instantly and dashed towards the door until the older female obstructed her path swiftly.

"I don't think that's wise; in fact, I know that isn't a rational idea. She will come back when she's ready to talk, only then you will get whatever answers you are looking for. Give her the chance to let this sink in." Christine guided the teen back to her seat tentatively, "Now, shall we look into your enrolment? I'm presuming you desire to complete your studies with us, here at Waterloo Road."

The young brunette neglected a response, she had zoned out into a daze of a trance as she flopped back onto the sofa. She hadn't even perceived the woman's suggestion to enrolment. Instead she was engulfed by potent thoughts whirling around in her mind. Eve only snapped back to reality when Christine gently tapped her shoulder.

"S-sorry?" She uttered quietly with a falter.

"I understand that you are confused and want answers. Nikki will explain when she's ready, I assure you." The head teacher attempted to generate some tranquility and soothing ambience.

"What is there to explain, though?" A sharp burst of thick anger had materialised from practically nowhere, "Do you know something that I don't? Has mum said something to you? How can you be so certain that she'll talk when she's ready? You aren't her." Her gaze narrowed significantly, "Are you hiding something? How do you know so much!"

Christine pursed her lips momentarily. For the first time - ever - she was stuck for words. An unusual trait that combatted her charisma. She had plenty of experience when it came to dealing with fiery students. Why was this so difficult? Tensely, she perched on her leather, office chair as Eve persisted to demand information.

"Nikki...your mother...she..she's my wife." The blonde confessed mutedly as she diverted her flickering orbs and juddered at an anticipated explosive reaction.

The teen's eyes widened, verbal response delayed as she battled to digest the latest detail, "What?" She mumbled as more bewildered thoughts added to her already jumbled mind, "And she didn't invite me to the wedding..." Her words were barely audible, "Maybe she did and dad prevented it." A vague twitch in the approximation of a shrug, "So, you know why we haven't seen each other for seventeen years, don't you? Tell me that it was my father interfering and stopping any attempts?" She pressed for more.

"I can't." Christine whispered reluctantly, "Maybe I know, well yes. I do know. But it really isn't for me to say."

Eve was about to respond when the door of the office propelled open in a fluster and Lorraine entered, followed shortly by Hector. Sonya also appeared, "I tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen." She shot an ominous glare at her sister and the PE teacher, tottering on her heels.

"What is going on with Nikki?" The blonde multi-millionaire demanded bluntly, "She's just blatantly ignored me and continued running through the corridors. I past her classroom, the kids are causing absolute mayhem and destruction in there!"

"I was outside on the steps when she sprinted past me. Also, refusing to stop at my call." He added, "She went out of the school gates and stopped. Then a black car appeared, stopped abruptly for a matter of seconds and then zoomed off. When it was gone, Nikki wasn't there."

The headmistress's features fell, fear and concern stitched across her features as she delved into her handbag, instantly rummaging for her phone, "Do you think she got into that car?" Her voice wavered slightly, she was pretty certain that her wife was in that vehicle. Nikki had departed in a state; flustered, stressed and _vulnerable_.

"It's the only logical answer, really. I ran to the gates when I saw she wasn't there, but there was no sign of her. There was no way she had the chance to disappear around a corner before I got there."

"Let's not jump to conclusions." Lorraine interrupted. Optimistic.

Having located her phone, Christine promptly dialled the brunette's number and propped her phone to her ear. She desperately prayed for an answer. Fleetingly forgetting that her wife's daughter - _her own step daughter_ \- was still present, "Come on, please pick up." Her Scottish accent was dense, a solicited murmur.

But it just rang, and rang. And rang. The blonde sighed forlornly as she ended the call, "Hector, get the CCTV up for that time!" She instructed before attempting to contact the teacher again. She repeatedly called until she finally attained an answer, "Nikki?!"

"_**Stop calling. Do not phone the police. And Nikki will be fine if you comply.**_"

The line went dead. Breath captured in the back of Christine's throat, accumulating as she swallowed hard with a stutter, "I think Nikki's been kidnapped." She confessed, tone no more than a weak murmur as her hand concealed her mouth, "The baby..." It had suddenly dawned to her that it wasn't just her precious wife at risk; their unborn child was also in danger.

The teenaged girl had been observing everything intently, but her ears pricked at the mention of an infant, "Mum's pregnant?!" A horrified and angered scoff. The expression on her step mother's face confirmed everything and she dashed out of the office and ran.

"_Nikki has a daughter?!_" Simultaneously, both Hector and Lorraine exclaimed the exact same sentence as their mouths dropped in pure shock at the latest discover of the woman they had both once - and perhaps still had - developed feelings for.


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N: **another update already! Thanks for the reviews 8) changed a bit of Tom's background info in this so it fits my story better! Will try and update soon xx_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 25

"Shit. _Shit_." Christine swore repeatedly as she raked her slender fingers through her tousled hair, exhaling a miserable sigh, "Eve. Her name's Eve. I knew about her. Nikki hasn't seen her since a number of days after her birth. She just randomly appeared today. I, I need to go after her-"

"The car approached from a clever angle." The PE teacher muttered exasperatedly while studying the monitor, "They evidently had studied the positioning of our security, with vast detail. No number plate. Just a black saloon car of some description."

"I'm calling the police." Lorraine announced as she grasped her phone from her handbag, already typing in the three important digits with a perfectly manicured finger tip.

"No!" The older blonde exclaimed zealously, snatching the device from her elegant hands. "You can't phone the police. You just can't. The bloke who answered Nik's phone said that if we stopped calling and didn't contact the police then she would remain safe." The naked fear sizzled visibly in the woman's eyes, flashing fleetingly before the opaque mask returned.

"Hey!" Bitter anger laced the benefactress' manner as she reached for her phone, tiptoes stretched in her expense stilettos, "That's my property. Give it back. We _have_ to phone the police. Whoever kidnapped her are just saying that to keep the police off their backs. How else are we gonna find Nik, hmm?"

"_Nikki_," Christine emphasised her wife's name protectively, "Only I get to call her Nik." Teeth clenched, jaw pulsating a tedious ache, she glared intently at the younger lady. She was more than conscious of their history, and was prepared to attain Lorraine to a professional distance.

"Christine's right," Hector agreed as he flopped onto a chair, "We should comply with whatever they demand in order to keep Nikki and the baby safe. There must be more information coming soon, they must want _something_. People aren't kidnapped for no reason."

"Right, I need to go find Eve, now. And I need some time to think on what the most rational approach to this situation is." The blonde stated matter-of-factly as she returned the phone to the other woman and paced out of her office and into the vacant corridors.

Lorraine pirouetted sharply in her heels, "I'm still calling the police. Nikki could be in real danger! We have to do something!"

"Lorraine! Didn't you listen to a word we just said?" The man exhaled a dejected sigh, but it was too late. The benefactress had made the call and was reeling details to the police promptly.

* * *

"Oh there you are," A sigh of relief hovered from the headmistress's dry lips as she rammed the mechanised door of the pastoral care office open in a fervent fluster. Finally she had spotted the adolescent she had been searching for. Eve was perched on the plush sofa, nursing a hot beverage, with Tom sat on a chair nearby.

"Is it true that Nikki's been..." The compassion was stitched across Tom's expression, voice trailing off towards the end.

"Kidnapped?" The blonde loathed uttering that one word that nobody wanted to perceive. An agonising ache in her heart of fear. She nodded and confirmed, "Yeah."

"Eve told me." He stated gently, "She's been telling me all about herself; she adores English Lit, must definitely get that from her mother, hey?" He smiled sadly at the memory of how the former army captain could contently recite hours and hours of classic novels. It was such a delight.

Subsequently to ingesting another petite sip of her tea, Eve tilted her head upwards and gazed at the older female, "Christine..." She paused momentarily. Apprehensive, "I know you know the real reason behind why I haven't seen my mother for all these years...please tell me. I just want to know the truth...somehow piece together this messed up jigsaw of a life I have."

"Are you sure you want to know?" She lowered herself onto the chair, allowing the material to immerse around her comfortably, "I don't think it'll be what you're expecting."

Eve nodded positively.

The blonde glanced at her fellow teacher and adopted a composed manner as the entire, truthful tale tumbled from her lips as she reluctantly disclosed what her wife had narrated that day at the hospital. Deep down, she comprehended that this wasn't really her place to tell the girl, but she had little option at this moment in time.

Glassy tears prickled in the teenager's dazzling, azure orbs, threatening to spill in violent gushes, "So neither of my parents want me?" She mumbled, "_Great_." Sarcasm.

"I know it hurts, I understand, Eve. At nineteen years old, rarely any young woman is prepared and ready to take on the responsibilities that come with having a baby. Especially a teenage pregnancy." Christine tried to add some hope into the situation, fix it as best she could, "Your grandparents are Catholic? They were unlikely to agree with it. With little help, raising a baby is difficult. You have to appreciate what it was like back then."

She sniffed, wiping her eyes furiously, "So what am I supposed to do now?"

"That's down to you, really." Tom sensed that his colleague required some input, "You can either stay or return to your father. But you are more than welcome to stay at Waterloo Road and finish your studies. You may be able to reconcile with Nikki, when she's back."

"How could she do this to me." The brunette's fingers curled into tight fists, "What did I do wrong?!"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Tentatively, Christine rested her hand on the girl's knee.

"It's not an excuse, but it's the only excuse most of us have." He sighed, "She was young and stupid. But I can assure you, your mother has come a long long way since then, even though I never knew her back then. I've seen her progress in this job. She's wiser. She's one of the most sensible, trustworthy people I know, and a damn good teacher as well. She's learnt a lot."

"Is that baby to replace me? To make her feel less guilty."

"No!" The female stated sincerely, "Definitely not...I wanted the baby, I was the driving force to that. She's worried in case she doesn't connect with this child as well."

"Come on, Eve. Don't you think she deserves a second chance? Everyone deserves a second chance." She twitched her shoulders in the approximation of a shrug and Tom continued to speak, "I have a son - Josh - he was a mistake and I ran away from my responsibilities as a father. I didn't want a kid. But he came and found me some fifteen years later, gave me a second chance to prove I could be a good father. We have a great relationship now, he's studying at uni."

Eve didn't responded instantly, she allowed a couple of minutes to process everything, "Okay...I don't think I would forgive myself if I didn't give her the chance to redeem herself." She concluded, "But where will I stay?"

"The school house?"

Christine shook her head, "No. She can stay with me at our home. Eve is my step daughter after all."


	26. Chapter 26

_**A/N: **I come with an update! Thanks so much for the reviews! This chapter is a bit of connecting between Christine and Eve. In the next chapter we shall see them take a step closer to finding Nikki. Again, I do intend to finish this fic. I hope to return with an update soon!_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 26

Eve trudged down the carpeted stairs wearily, enveloped in a fuzzy robe that acted as some unrecognisable form of comfort. She had barely slept, tossing and turning agitatedly for the plurality of the night with worry and stress. Her chestnut-coloured mane was a tangled mess; unruly and tousled. Daylight was just rousing following a lifetime of dusky shadows. That was when she had finally given up attempting to sleep.

The girl descended the last step and paused by the front door. A piece of crinkled paper had been shoved through the letterbox, yet to be collected by one of the home's residents. There was no address, it seemed blank. She collected the sheet of paper, trembling fingers peeling the many folds apart to reveal some black ink scrawled scruffily.

It was a note from Nikki's kidnappers. A comment and a proposed deal.

_"I thought we agreed no police? Just as well we are further ahead than them, isn't it? Do not get anyone else involved again; this is our little secret. That way you will ensure that nothing else happens to your Nikki. In exchange for Nikki's freedom and safety, we demand fifty thousand pounds. You have until Friday. More details to follow. Tick tock." _

Paper clenched in her clustered fists, the brunette proceeded into the kitchen, pace significantly prompter than prior movements. "Christine?" Her voice fluttered apprehensively as she searched for the older woman, desperate to present the latest disclosure in the kidnap case.

She finally located the headmistress in the lounge. Curled in the foetal position with her arms hugging her knees to her chest, she was jittery beneath the thin blanket. The dark rings that circled her desolate orbs indicated that she hadn't slept much either; the unwelcome enhancement prominent against her ghostly pale complexion.

"Somebody put this through the letterbox..." Eve's tone was edgy as she pressed the note into her hand, then anxiously twiddled her fingers as she waited for a reaction.

Christine scanned the paper intently, processing the information rapidly. Her heart sunk further, crumbling into more broken shards, "No..." It was barely audible as she shook her head and concealed her face with her shaky hands. Thoughts whirled in her mind, instantly thinking the worst. The clever wording stimulated a repulsive fear that something bad _had_ already happened.

The blonde was succumbed by a sudden burst of motivating energy, she leapt to her feet and abandoned the blanket before racing into the kitchen. Her movement allowed the adolescent to presume that she had simply perched there for the entire night; she remained in her tailored trousers and white blouse which was now crumpled and creased. Staring vacantly and left to battle her own thoughts and consciences.

She was visibly restless as Eve followed vigilantly. Stressed, flustered and twitchy. And had plummeted to her knees whilst cupboard doors were forcefully propelled open and the contents raked out in a chaotic motion. Christine was steered harshly. Actions reflecting a pure craving and intense desire and covet.

The behaviour the girl witnessed was stiffly familiar. _The movements of an alcoholic_. She had lost compassion and mercy for that moment, dryly speaking without emotion, "You're an alcoholic aren't you." It wasn't a question; a blunt statement.

Christine halted abruptly, capsizing further to the tiled floor. That comment was cuttingly smarting and initiated a temporary stunned affect. Bile accumulated in her throat. It almost felt as though somebody had twisted and brutally ripped her heart out. Actually, she wished they had. Then she would be numb from all this painful aching; physically and emotionally. The equal influence vodka generated.

That was something she never would have anticipated hearing from a seventeen year old. Excluding her own son - and even that churned her stomach and made her feel violently sick, the hell she had put that poor, innocent boy through. But Eve? _No, never_. She now felt guilty for craving drink, for once again turning to alcohol to help cope with her problems. _Cowardly_.

"_Recovering_ alcoholic, actually." She murmured ashamedly as she propped herself against a kitchen unit, unable to support her own weight in her lethargic state. "I haven't drunk in, I don't know, around eight months. I have your mother to thank for that."

They basked the muted ambience for a while, Eve busying herself by replacing the items that cluttered the floor into the cupboards thar had toppled out of until the blonde spoke. "How did you know?"

The teenager's shoulders jerked into a shrug, "I know the signs. You were fidgety and twitchy, then you went through the kitchen. Dad's an alcoholic. I've seen it all before."

"I'm sorry," Her apology was genuine and empathetic although a mere whisper, "You really shouldn't have had to watch that. Or be the one to stop me. I'm really sorry. The craving was just so so strong, I could illusion the taste of the vodka burning my throat, all the way to my stomach, and numbing this wretched pain."

"I get that it's hard. But alcohol isn't the answer; drink is never the answer." Eve stated solemnly as she sat next to her step mother, "Wouldn't you rather be well and sober to help Mum and the baby whenever we find her. We will find her. Dad says she's a fighter. Or would you rather be unconscious in some ditch somewhere, choking on your own vomit. Because that's the reality." Her manner was perhaps a little sharp, but it was very truthful.

"You are right." Christine pulled the teen in for a hug, "Thank you, thank you so much for not letting me relapse. And I'm sorry that you've had to experience all that with your father."

The brunette rested her head on the older woman's shoulder and nodded.

"We will find her, I'm certain." She was trying to remain optimistic even with the threat looming densely, "Your Dad's correct. She _is_ a fighter."

A few minutes subsequent, the headmistress hauled herself to her feet and went in search of her shoes and jacket, along with her handbag, phone and car keys.

"Where are you going?"

"Work. I'm no use to anybody sitting around here all day just moping around. I might as well do something constructive. And, to be honest, the distraction will do me good." She responded simply. But there was also the detail that she wanted to speak to Lorraine, in person.

Eve nodded again, "You might want to get changed first, though. And maybe have a coffee?"

Christine's features adopted a small smile as she peered at her attire and nodded, "I think you're right." She agreed before going to head upstairs. But she paused as her phone rang. The caller ID appeared as her wife's name, "Nik?" She attempted to sound cool and calm but the nerves wavered her voice.

The line was crackly but she was positive she heard a muffled 'help'. A piercing clatter followed and the line went dead. Now, she had convinced herself she had a proper reason to be worried about her lover and unborn infant. Yet she couldn't quite think straight enough to decipher what was the best thing to do.


	27. Chapter 27

Born To Fly - Part 27

"Did one of you call the police?" A hint of anger laced Christine's austere manner as she addressed the colleagues lined up in her confined office, fingertips drumming against the periled note on her desk. Her dark orbs briefly scanned the three adults in front of her but locked on the one female she believed culpable. Lorraine.

Tom and Hector exchanged corresponding looks before their eyes also focused simultaneously on the blonde benefactress. They mutedly shared the headmistress's principles. The multi-millionaire nodded confidently, arms folded across her petite frame as she remained adamant that she was not in the wrong.

"Well how else are we going to find her if we didn't notify the police? Those guys are trained in dealing with situations just like this, it's what they do everyday! We can't just stand back and rely on pure hope. Somebody had to take appropriate action. And I did."

The female's teeth were clenched, jaw pulsating pungently, as she hissed ominously "But I specifically instructed you not to. Didn't you listen! If anything happens to her, Lorraine, if anything happens to _either_ of them..."

She was unable to complete her sentence when the office door opened abruptly.

"We're looking for a Mrs Christine Boston. I'm DS Skyes and this is my colleague DS Knight." A duo of cops entered the headteacher's office, perceptibly displaying their police badges and identification cards. "We need to speak to you in private regarding the disappearance of Mrs Nicola Boston. Is now convenient? We understand you are incredibly busy but this is important and really cannot wait."

Christine pushed her swivel chair back from her desk and regained her equilibrium swiftly, "That would be me." She confirmed as she acknowledged the officers before diverting her gaze back to her staff, "I'll catch up with you later." The door closed quietly as the adults departed.

"Can I get you a tea or coffee? Or perhaps a hot chocolate or glass of water?"

"No, thank you." The female officer shook her head politely and implored for Christine to sit down, "Let's get straight to the point and talk. Time can be of the essence in these cases." She gestured to the sofa as she pulled two chairs from the rounded table opposite. "When was the last time you physically saw Mrs Boston?"

The blonde fiddled with her fingers apprehensively, these unofficial interviews were always depressing. She lacked enthusiasm to disclose too much information incase the threat was true. Her natural instincts were to protect her wife and baby to the best of her ability. "Yesterday. Mid to late morning. Just before eleven, I guess. She was just outside my office but she hurried off in a bit of a state."

The other detective scribbled into a notepad, writing all the evidence collected.

"And when was the last time you had any contact with Nicola? In any form; whether the last time you spoke to her was in person, over the phone, email text message..."

She dipped her head momentarily, tongue running roughly over her dry lips, "I got a phone call this morning from her mobile. The line was really crackly and poor, though. I couldn't hear much. But I'm sure I heard a muffled help, but a loud noise followed and the line went dead." Reluctantly, she described the phone call she had received earlier and handed the sheet of paper that had been shoved through her door that morning over.

The cop's expression was solemn as she clasped her radio in her hand and spoke into the device, "This is DS Skyes. I want Nicola Boston's mobile phone calls traced immediately. Get a location for the call this morning and I want a team over to that location ASAP. This could be the new lead we are looking for. Thanks." She tuned out and diverted her attention back to her interviewee, "That information could be imperative, thank you."

More questions followed. The police attempting to fuse together a bigger picture of the situation with what restricted resources they had. What attire the woman had sported when she disappeared. They desired to establish possible suspects who could be responsible. An update on what they had already unmasked; the brunette had been transferred to a different location. They had traced the black saloon car that had abducted her, following CCTV footage to a derelict building. By the time a unit had made it there, they had gone.

"Just one more thing," Christine's thick Scottish accent trembled as the detectives paused, "By you getting involved, nothing is going to happen to Nikki is it? It's just...the note said no police or she would get hurt. And she's pregnant, I'd hate for anything to happen to _either_ of them."

"We're always cautious in these situations. We will do everything to ensure the safety of Mrs Boston, and her baby." The cop nodded before they left, promising to phone if they discovered anything new.

* * *

The cacophony of Christine's ringtone reverberated the ambience, shattering the tranquil silence that drifted through her office. It was a local number, though one she did not recognise. Squinting, she accepted the call and placed the phone to her ear, "Christine Boston speaking."

And suddenly the blonde was on her feet, nearly tumbling in her hurry as she grasped her handbag and rummaged for her keys. Racing out of her office, she was grateful to collide with Tom, Lorraine and Hector. Well, perhaps not Lorraine and Hector. But Tom, yes.

"The police think they have found the place where Nikki is currently being held hostage." A mixture of anxiety and ecstasy wavered her voice. She was thrilled that they had almost located her wife. Yet she feared in case something was wrong. Things had a habit of not being simple for the duo.

"They think it might be better if she sees some familiar faces. No one really knows what to expect." The words continued to ramble out of her lips, "Tom, will you come with me?"

"Sure." Together they both departed the building and hopped into Christine's car. Neither realised that Hector and Lorraine were also following on the back of the PE teacher's motorcycle.


	28. Chapter 28

Born To Fly - Part 28

Christine paced the dusty ground anxiously. Jittery and fretful. Tom spoke comforting words, though they appeared to have little impact. The supplied address from the police had located them into the heart of a rich forest, to a vacant building. Now they impatiently awaited for the accompanying police officer to grant them permission to enter and see the abducted brunette.

Both adults whirled sharply at the roar of a petrol engine accelerating towards them, masked in a haze of dry dirt. A motorbike skidded to a halt metres away. "Hector? What's he doing here?" The male furrowed his brow, perplexity lacing his queries.

"Lorraine?!"

"What the hell are you two doing here?" The headmistress demanded, a cutting edge to every single word as she stamped her authority, "You shouldn't be here. Neither of you."

"I still care about Nikki." Simultaneously they spoke the identical sentence, staring at each other with a sharp scoff and crossing their arms.

"And I still love her." Lorraine continued, her manner wavered slightly, hinted with great sympathy as she worried, "I always have, and I always will."_ A conclusion_.

Hector then mumbled, "So do I,"

That only gained him viscous stares from both women, Tom displaying an expression of silent warning. "Whatever." Anger was bubbling inside the older female, fingers curled into clenched as she attempted to dismiss their passionate remarks, "Nik chose me. Me."

"Christine's right. You shouldn't be here. Yeah, we get that you care. But this is personal. Do you think Nikki is really gonna want to see both of you as well? She clearly declined your lustful passes, Hector. And you - _Lorraine_ \- you broke her heart and she moved on from what you had." The other deputy spoke again, sincere and stern.

The conversation was interrupted. Another cop had just received permission to enter, confirming that Nikki had been found, through a radio systems. At Christine's request, Tom accompanied the blonde and police officer into the building, following tensely to where the female was.

"Nik," Followed by a gasp, the word was smothered with a swirl of breath. She descended promptly to her knees at her lover's side, clamping her hand around hers cozily and squeezing in some form of comfort. The contrast was harsh; Nikki's hand was bitterly icy and pale compared to the other woman's warm and marginally clammy palm.

"It's going to be okay." She didn't know who she was trying to convince. _Poorly trying to convince_. Her breath choked at the back of her suddenly dry throat, fearful orbs expanding significantly at the sight of the scarlet liquid cascading in a stream from her side. The officer first on scene was attempting to stem the bleed.

The brunette's head was fuzzy, vision blurred and disorientated. Her energy was seriously low and she was acutely exhausted. Skin pale and white, her pulse was slow and breathing shallow. Yet she mustered what energy she had reserved and concentrated it to fixating on the voices swimming around the atmosphere and the vague figures she could outline.

"C-Christine," Nikki faltered, voice scratchy and parched. A heavy sensation was rapidly darkening her mind, focusing fading away. She strived to extend her arm, aiming to reach for her partner's silky cheek. But she grimaced. Her aches had evolved into agonising pains. The other hand remained firmly on her stomach.

"I..I'm s-sorry." Her words were slurring and drifted, an internal battle commencing to stop her eyes from snapping shut.

The headmistress was shushing, whispering words of soothing reassurance in desire to keep her wife calm, "It's okay, it's okay. I know. Try snd stay with me darling," Tender lips collided ever so gently with her ghostly forehead, pressing a lingering kiss.

Christine repeatedly raked her fingers through the female's tousled locks. She didn't care that they were greasy and matted with blood from an open wound that trickled on her head. It was an action that Nikki had always found relaxing and adored. But the woman had lost this battle, azure orbs fluttering shut as darkness triumphed.

"Oh god, no..." The blonde collapsed into Tom's awaiting arms, hand clamped over her mouth as she sobbed jagged cries. "Please, help her! She's pregnant," Help had just arrived in the form of paramedics who instantly set about stabilising and preparing the victim for her journey to hospital.

And for the very first time, as her darling wife was wheeled out on the trolley by paramedics, she perceived a tiny little baby bump. The petite swell to her stomach was perceptible as her thin shirt, saturated with thick crimson blood, fused to her skin.

"Come to the hospital with me." Christine was desperately pleading, studying the concerned expression stitched on Tom's face. She didn't want to be alone, "We need to pick Eve up on the way."


	29. Chapter 29

_**a/n: **sorry for taking ages to update. Again. This isn't the best and my medical knowledge is embarrassingly bad. Sorry if it's really inaccurate. Hopefully the next part will be better. Thank you so much to the people who are sticking with this story, I still love reading your reviews! _

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 29

"This is Nicola Boston, aged thirty-seven. She's 15 weeks pregnant and has a deep laceration to her right thigh caused by a blade injury. It has severed the femoral artery. There is also a laceration to the head. She KO'ed at the scene and hasn't regained consciousness since." The paramedics promptly wheeled her through the mechanised door, instructed by awaiting doctors to locate a bay in resus.

"Pulse is 50bpm, BP 11/69. GCS is 3 and resps are 8 or 9." The list of vital, primary observations were precisely reeled off, followed by the medication that had been administered on route.

"Her BP and pulse are still dropping." The monitoring machines were moments away from bleeping with ominous warnings that things had fallen below what was deemed an acceptable level.

The doctor assessed the situation, aware and concerned of the decreasing obs, "She's loosing a lot of blood from the stab wound." Appropriate pressure was applied in attempted to stem the harsh bleeding that continued to pump out of the gash.

"She's arrested."

While a nurse performed CPR, the doctor concentrated on temporary clamping the bleed in hope of stopping the haemorrhage, "Somebody get onto the surgeons. As soon as she's stable, she needs to go to theatre." As soon as the arterial bleed was terminated, her pulse and blood pressure instantly began to arise, the frantically bleeping machine stabilising with a more regulated, steady beep.

"She's stabile. Let's address the wound on her head and then straight into theatre. Time could be of the essence."

* * *

Christine paced the confined relatives room persistently. Uneasy and jittery. She was unable to settle. Her emotions in whirlwind as she worried about her wife and expected child. The lack of updates added to her fear. All they had been informed was that she was currently in theatre. The surgeon would come with news when the surgery was completed.

Time had practically halted. Seconds ticking by dreadfully slow. It felt like the brunette had been in surgery for days, when it was only a matter of hours. Tom's words had little impact as the headmistress failed to calm her nerves. Eve was withdrawn; she had only just found her mother again and didn't want to lose her.

The door opened sharply.

"Is Nikki okay? Did the surgery work?"

"Yes." Solemn yet with empathy, the surgeon nodded. Though it was blurry as to which question had been answered as he paused momentarily, frustrating an impatient and anxious wife, "The surgery was, overall, a success, yes."

"But..?" The specialist's hesitant manner and unnecessary delays that generated suspense didn't saturate them with certainty. The adolescent gnawed tensely at her fingernails, fretfulness sharp in her word.

Sucking in another breath, he insisted that everyone obtained a seat in order to discuss the full details of the surgery, "The laceration was a deep penetration in her right thigh. When Mrs Boston was stabbed, the sharp object ruptured her femoral artery, resulting in a large blood loss. The blood loss has been replenished with a number of transfusions."

We managed to control the haemorrhaging with a more permanent solution and then began to examine the significance of the damage in greater detail. She has been incredibly _lucky-_" Perhaps lucky wasn't the best choice of words, the relatives and friend scoffing and scowling simultaneously.

"The majority of the damage sustained was soft tissue damage. Muscles, tendons and ligaments that will all heal within time, and we have enforced connections to ensure they will reconcile correctly. However," Another brief halt, grim expression plastered over the doctors face, "there is peripheral nerve damage, it's moderately minimal and we have made primary repairs-"

Tom interrupted with a query that was abruptly prominent in everyone's mind, although choosing a tactful approach, "What are you implying?" Leant forward with his hands stationed firmly on his knees, he studied for clues.

The blonde's apprehension was multiplying and unlike Tom, she was much more direct with her blurted question, "Will she walk again?"

"We are confident that she will, yes. She should regain at least ninety percentage of the function with that leg. But, as always, with these injuries, it is difficult to predict and provide a definite prognosis. Recover length varied and we will know more as time progresses."

The point of interest had now switched from Nikki to the unborn baby she carried. It wasn't just one life in question or at risk. The headmistress chewed at her bottom lip, shuffling edgily in her uncomfortable seat, "What about the baby?" She already feared the worst. The momentous stress could have adverse effects and consequences for the foetus.

"Both mother and baby are being closely monitored. We have taken every possible precaution to warrant safety of them both as a priority."

Christine nodded swiftly, everything was currently a haze. Happening so fast with little time to thoroughly process anything, "Can I see her?"

Again. The talented surgeon nodded, "Yes, of course. I will take you through now. She is recovering from the anaesthetic. If she does regain consciousness tonight then we expect her to be very drowsy because of the drugs she is currently being administered. Sleep is best for her, and her baby, right now. She's suffered a trauma and her body needs time to rest and recuperate."


	30. Chapter 30

Born To Fly - Part 30

Christine was perched on a grey plastic, uncomfortable chair at her wife's bedside. A fixed beeping noise reverberated the fretful ambience, sourced from the many machines connected to the sleeping woman that constantly monitored her and her baby. The tension lay thick in the air, tastily dense. The brunette teen was settled opposite, wide eyes bursting with concern that trickled through her entire posture. Tom had popped out to the canteen, desiring a shot of caffeine.

Doctors and nurses meandered in and drifted out at regular intervals. Checking obs, monitors and switching drips when required. Occasionally, two or three accumulated in the confined room, shuffling to the corner and conferring between themselves in a low murmur. Brows furrowed with apprehension, features creased with anxiety. All had anticipated that the victim would have regained consciousness, arousing from her sleepy state. Yet worryingly, she hadn't.

One had rested tenderly on top of Nikki's hand, the other stroking her locks with an odd kiss planted onto her forehead. The silky pad of the headmistress's thumb traced pattern on her icy hand. So tentative and soothing. The indefinite wait for her to wake was agonising. Positivity was slowly beginning to fade.

A gently tap on the door alerted her attention as a young female in ceil blue scrubs entered, "Mrs Boston, there is a Miss Donnegan here requesting to see Nicola..."

The blonde frowned, hints of exasperation bubbling inside her, "I thought I said no other visitors except for myself, Eve and Tom." Her tone was bland, energy levels insufficient to motivate dealing with the irritatingly stubborn multi-millionaire.

"Yes, we are very aware of that. I apologise sincerely for disturbing you. But Miss Donnegan is refusing to leave without seeing Nicola. Shall I contact security?"

"No, no." A shake of her head followed as she hauled herself to the feet, "That won't be necessary. I'll come talk to her." She stepped towards the door, glancing again at her lifeless lover, "I won't be long." She whispered to her step-daughter, inhaling a sharp breath and strolling in the direction of the unwelcome visitor.

She cleared her throat and folded her arms across her chest, dark orbs narrowed and bitter, "Lorraine. What do we owe the pleasure?"

"I want to see Nikki." The benefactress flicked her luscious locks away from her face, golden curls bouncing in a cascading ocean down her back.

"She's asleep."

"Well then, there's no reason why I can't see her." Lorraine stepped to the side, attempting to dodge her obstruction but the older female blocked her path sharply, "Anyway, shouldn't she be awake by now?"

Christine dipped her head, the floor gaining some sudden interest as her eyes pooled with threatening tears. Her response was mere and muted, "Yeah, but she hasn't come round yet." A short pause, "I should really go back in there. And just think, she's not exactly going to want to see you when she does wake up is she?"

She twitched her shoulders in the approximation of a shrug, saucy red lips pursed, "How do you know that?" She laughed humourlessly, "Look at you. Look at you acting like the perfect, loyal wife at her bedside. I wonder if you would be so keen if you thought she wasn't quite the faithful, truthful woman you believe?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She retorted, head shooting up as she glared ominously.

"You're an intelligent woman. I'm sure you'll work it out. What do they say?" Her harsh cockney accent halted momentarily as she thought, "You never really do stop loving someone once you've fallen in love? By the way, you're clearly doing something correct, Nik never used to like wine before." She laughed wickedly and smirked, peering through the petite glass panel in the door before strutting off.

Fuelled with provoked anger, the blonde's fist was about to collide with the plastered wall. Thoughts whirled around her mind. Was any of this true? Was Nikki having an...affair?! Before her clenched fingers were able to touch the wall, a firm grasp restrained her hand. It was Tom.

"Hey! What's happened? Why aren't you with Nik?"

"Lorraine came demanding to see Nikki." Teeth gritted, her jaw began to pulsate, "And implied that Nikki is cheating on me. What if she is? How have I been so stupid not to see it. She's been acting..._strange_...for a while. It all adds up." She threw her palms to her face and raked her fingers through her tousled hair.

* * *

"Mum?!" A gasp floated from Eve's dry lips, fists rubbing her bleary orbs as she suddenly became more awake and vigilant. Tiredness that succumbed her body had vanished. Nikki's hand had twitched. _Just a tiny little movement_. But she was rousing.

"It's okay, just try to stay still and calm. You're in hospital." The adolescent's voice was tranquil and soothing, hand clasped around her mother's as she gently removed the oxygen mask from her face when she started to display more signs of consciousness.

The beeping monitors were garbled with a voice that she was yet to identify. It was familiar. The bleeping was already getting on her nerves. Her whole body ached tremendously and any minor attempt of movement created searing pain. Her head was fuzzy and heavy, vision blurry and hazy. She tried to piece together previous events that lead to right now. But she couldn't.

She coughed. Only know did she realise how dry her throat was. Parched. Another splutter; she yearned for a drink. Gradually, her orbs fluttered open for the most briefest second. The light was dazzlingly bright. It took another few blinks for her to adjust. _Greys ceilings and bright, yellow lights_. Not so familiar.

"Hey..." The brunette couldn't fixate on anything for a great stretch of time, but she twisted her head to the side slowly and was able to make out the figure of her daughter who was speaking. Just sat there smiling warmly. Her memory was starting to return.

She sipped gratefully at the glass of fresh water offered with a straw, "You're in hospital. You were kidnapped and stabbed in your right leg. They operated on you and patched you up, though." The words were difficult to process, swimming around in her head.

"_Eve_...you...you're still here..." Nikki mumbled wearily, azure eyes already flickering shut as she attempted to stay awake. Her daughter was one of the last person she expected to perceive. Where was Christine? "I'm..so s-sorry." Clumsily, she squeezed the mini brunette's hand.


	31. Chapter 31

Born To Fly - Part 31

"Save your energy." The teenaged girl instructed smoothly, "You don't need to worry about apologising. Christine's told me everything that you told her, about what happened all those years ago. It's okay, though. I forgive you and everyone deserves a second chance." Her silky fingertips continued to stroke her mother's hand.

Nikki grimaced again. Her discomfort was becoming more noticeable despite her best efforts to conceal it. The more conscious she became, several of the drug concoctions fading from her body, the more alert she was to the dull yet potent pain in her leg.

She blew out a breath and murmured, "I'm..still sorry...y-you shouldn't have..had to find out like..that."

The woman was still exhausted, floating in and out of consciousness, "We can talk properly when you are better, perhaps we can even all be a proper family." Eve was still so calm and collected, reassuring her mother and trying to get her to conserve her energy. She was to face greater challenges that warranted her strength more.

Her azure orbs fluttered, colour beginning to flush her skin to a more natural, rosy shade, "My baby...is the baby okay?" The words were a faint whisper, free hand shifting to rest protectively on the swell of her stomach.

"They're monitoring you both closely. But yeah, _she_ is. They've performed a couple of ultrasounds and _she_ has a healthy heartbeat and isn't too distressed." The younger brunette simply repeated the details she had been informed.

Nikki's eyes flickered open, glittering with a sparkly joy as her lips weakly twitched into a smile, "_She_? It's a baby girl?"

"Yeah."

The mechanised door sailed open harshly, the headmistress stalking into the confined room with Tom sharply behind trying to talk some sense into the infuriated female, "Come on, Christine. You need to calm down-"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" She hissed icily, pirouetting briskly, "You have no idea, no idea. Oh...Nikki's awake. _Good_." A bitter laugh followed her words as she stepped towards the bedside.

"Christine?" The injured female murmured. Her eyes were closed again, head aching and hazy. She had slowly identified the voices to belong to her wife and Tom. Though she sensed some anger in the atmosphere and perplexity filled her.

"Is it true?" It was all the blonde could currently think about. She wanted answers, and she wanted answers now, purposely ignoring Tom's implores for her to leave it for now at least, "Have you been screwing someone else? Lorraine maybe? Or perhaps Hector. It could be both even."

"Wha?!" Her brows furrowed, features creased with bewilderment as she tried to fixate her gaze on her lover, "What are you...talking about?"

She scoffed austerely and spoke bluntly, "Lorraine says you've been cheating."

"_Implied_." Tom corrected, although it didn't aid the situation.

"I haven't...I wouldn't." She tried to master all the strength she could to put power into her voice. But she failed. Manner no more than a feeble whisper. "What's happened? I..I don't understand."

"Then why is Lorraine saying that you have or are having an affair?!"

The blood pressure machine was starting to bleep, indicating that Nikki was becoming stressed, "It was just a kiss! One kiss." She had tried to shuffle, desiring to sit up. Laying so flat made her feel even more timid and vulnerable. Everyone had a towering advantage. Her teeth were gritted, face crinkled with agony as she groaned at the pain in her leg.

"A kiss?!" Christine scoffed, fury burning inside her and escalating, "Who did you kiss?!"

At that point, a nurse dashed in having being alerted to the beeping of the machine. "Okay, Nicola. Deep breaths, let's try and calm you down." She encouraged as she injected a dose of strong painkiller into the cannula, intending to regain control of the pain as quickly as possible, "how bad is the pain on a scale of 1-10."

"6...7, maybe."

"More like a 9 or 10 then." The nurse concluded as she attempted to make the brunette more comfortable, "I don't know what's going on in here but right now everyone's aim should be to keep Nicola calm. She's had serious surgery and there's been a severe amount of strain on her baby. She does not need extra stress. I'll be back shortly."

"Come on, Christine. I think you should go now."

The latest ripple of pain had left her body and she had managed to steady her breathing, "No...stay. I'll tell you what you want to know...if you promise to stay calm and not get angry."

The blonde paused momentarily, glancing between mother and daughter. Eve sat there so tranquilly regardless of all she had learnt lately about the ex army captain. She had located forgiveness within her and was allowing for a second chance. _Just like that. _Perhaps it was only fair she did the same.

"Okay," She nodded meekly and perched on the chair.

Nikki sucked in a deep breath, "It was Lorraine...it meant nothing. It was a stupid, irrational mistake. I fucked up - majorly. I couldn't tell you...I couldn't put you in the position of having to suspend me. I spoke to her, she hadn't started back at Waterloo Road...she gave me a glass of wine to calm me down and then she kissed me." The tale slowly tumbled from her lips as she reminisced the events with Gabriella and then the illegal shots to poor Lenny falling ill.

"I'm sorry, I really am. This was never meant to happen." She was feeling incredibly drowsy again, words drifting and muted. Teardrops pooled in her eyes, generating a glossy film over her pupils.

"Nik," Christine tenderly pressed her lips to her wife's forehead, planting a lingering kiss, "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have judged and presumed. And I shouldn't have tackled you over it now, not when you're in this state. But you're on the mend. And we're going to be fine - there are still gaps in our relationship to work on but we should be concentrating on getting you better and the baby, right now. And Eve, of course."

Her hand moved from her baby bump to squeeze the older woman's fleetingly, "I'm sorry...I can barely keep my eyes open...I love you."

"I love you too." She whispered genuinely, "Get some rest, sweetheart. We'll be back later."


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews. This chapter is shorter and not the best, my idea didn't really turn out as planned. The next chapter will be better. X_

_~Mini Peacelet~_

* * *

Born To Fly - Part 32

"Where's Nikki?" The concern and perplexity wavered the blonde's tone as she pirouetted sharply and exited the small room upon learning that her wife was absent, though all her personal possessions remained where they had been left.

A senior nurse shifted from behind the nurse's station, a rather solemn and grim expression fixated to her face, "Mrs Boston was rushed back into theatre earlier this morning. It appears yesterday, when she became distressed and moved more than we would have liked this soon, that she burst her stitches which caused her to bleed out. She should return soon if all is well."

Christine's face dropped with worry and melancholy, fingers raking anxiously through her hair, "Why wasn't I contacted?!" Annoyance hinted her tone, teeth gritted momentarily in fury that something she considered to be major and serious had occurred and she was only just being informed.

"We knew you were coming in this morning, anyway. There wasn't much point as there isn't anything else you can do. You spent more than enough time pacing and waiting the first time she was in surgery."

She grumbled, expletives of frustration muffled beneath her breath, "Right-" she had vaguely listened to the nurse's pointless reasoning and stalked towards the door as something mentally clicked in her mind abruptly. The basis of the former army captain's stress was because of her. _This was her fault._ She was accountable for the further discomfort, risks and impending complications Nikki could face, delaying an already lengthy recovery period.

Christine repeatedly shoved her hand through her hair. Feet accelerating beneath her, she dashed through the dreary hospital corridors. Invisible walls were promptly closing around her, strangling and suffocating oxygen levels and starving her lungs. Rapid, raspy breaths. Anxiety cravings. She had to escape there and redeem a numbing agent.

Eve quickened into a jog to maintain pace with her step mother, silently following in bewilderment. The departed the hospital building and pounded down the concrete steps. A hasty look both ways and precariously dodging between the vehicles to cross the road. And the headmistress yanked the door fiercely and entered the convenience store.

The teenager instantly anticipated what has happening, peering through the glass panel only confirmed matters. Her hands trembled with panic as she pulled her phone from her pocket. She had to hurry. Scrolling through her contacts, she dialled Tom's number that she had been given in case of an emergency.

"Tom!" Relief was evident in the young brunette's voice as she explained the situation and what was occurring, "please hurry!"

Luckily, the male teacher was on his way to the hospital for visiting hours when he received the phone call from the stressed girl. Within a matter of moments, he rounded the corner and jogged towards the off licence. The headmistress had emerged from the shop - trapped in a pungent trance - and had ripped the lid from the glass bottle of vodka and began necking the colourless liquid. It burned, searing her throat. But it felt good, _so good_.

"I've tried to stop her but she just won't listen!" Eve exhaled with a swirl of breath, concern etched across her features as she helplessly perceived her step mother downing the booze. Bile rose to her mouth, flavouring her mouth with nauseous acidity. It was awful to observe a recovering alcoholic relapse so fatally. Especially with her lover and unborn child in hospital.

Tom snatched the bottle from her hands, shifting to the edge of the pavement and pouring the neat poison down the drain slat. The stuff was pollution to the water system, let alone what it did to the human body.

"Hey! That's mine! I paid for that!"

"Come on, Christine. You are not going to throw away all your hard work. Not now." His words were sincere and stern. Perhaps blunt. With the bottle handed to Eve, he pushed the blonde over to the bench and forced her to sit down, "I know what's happened. But drinking and drowning your sorrows with vodka is not the answer. It's never the answer. And deep down, I know that you know that too."

The outburst of complete anger and rage had passed, replaced with a remorseful tranquility. Her face was concealed in her hands, fingertips dug into the scalp below her fringe, "It's my fault. It's all _my_ fault."

Nobody could entirely be sure whether the pregnant brunette would currently be back in surgery if the heated accusations hadn't been fired yesterday and created tension and distress. So the English teacher skilfully avoided the blame, "We can't change what has happened in the past, so there's no point dwelling." A friendly hand rubbed her back, "But we _can_ influence the future, which is what's important now, right? We have to move on and focus on that. That's what Nik would want."

Christine titled her head up and blew out a breath, "She deserves better than me. I'm just a vodka loving screw up."

"Don't say that! You're her wife and she's in love with you. No relationship comes free of the odd hiccup and problem. Real relationships work through that and that's what makes their connections so strong." Tom spoke again, "Nikki is going to need a lot of help for a while, unconditional support. Whatever the result from what has happened, we will work through it. Step by step. Now, don't you think she'll want to see some familiar, friendly faces when she wakes again?"

The blonde nodded and straightened her posture, and as much as she loathed to admit it. Tom was right; spot on. He always was. "Yeah, you're right." She regained her equilibrium and twisted to face him again, "We better get back in there then." Tucking her hair behind her ears, she paused again, "Thank you,"


End file.
